The last Spanish combat troops left Iraq on April 28 and Defence Minister Jose Bono said this week that those in charge of shipping out military materiel might leave sooner than May 27, the scheduled date for handing over their base to the US army.

The conservative Popular Party, whose former leader Jose Maria Aznar sent the troops to Iraq last year when he was prime minister, was the only parliamentary group to vote against their withdrawal.

Opposition spokesman for international affairs Gustavo de Aristegui complained that Zapatero had not allowed time for a possible replacement of the US-led force by a United Nations contingent.

Zapatero told parliament on Wednesday that he was "increasingly satisfied" with his decision with "every passing day" in Iraq.

WAR.WIRE