White House Scraps 'Coalition of the Willing' List

[rainbow4321]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=574&u=/nm/20050122/wl_nm/bush_iraq_dc&printer=1


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House has scrapped its list of Iraq allies known as the 45-member "coalition of the willing," which Washington used to back its argument that the 2003 invasion was a multilateral action, an official said on Friday.


The senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the White House replaced the coalition list with a smaller roster of 28 countries with troops in Iraq sometime after the June transfer of power to an interim Iraqi government.


The official could not say when or why the administration did away with the list of the coalition of the willing.


The coalition, unveiled on the eve of the invasion, consisted of 30 countries that publicly offered support for the United States and another 15 that did not want to be named as part of the group.

[marmar]

1. It must be because ...

The Republic of Palau announced it was pulling out all of its troops.

[mcscajun]

2. both of them. (n/t)

:)

[struggle4progress]

41. Bush laments coalition of the unwilling (5 Nov 04)

... Hungary said this week it won't keep troops there beyond March 31. The Czechs plan to pull out by the end of February, the Dutch by the end of March, and Japan is feeling pressure to withdraw ...

http://smh.com.au/news/Breaking-News/Bush-laments-coalition-of-the-unwilling/2004/11/05/1099547352050.html

[Up2Late]

3. What? Is Togo not willing any more?

Well, don't tell me, we still got that guy from Micronesia, Right?

:wtf:This is just so typical of the current "Press core" (or Steno Pool, as I think of them) that it took them 6 months to ask this question or uncover this "Hot Scoop!":hurts:

[driver8]

5. "Steno Pool" -- I like that.

We should use "steno pool" instead of MSM when referring to the media.

[struggle4progress]

39. Icelanders apologise to Iraqis for invasion

A group of people from Iceland have taken out a full-page advertisement in The New York Times apologising to Iraqis for the invasion of their country.

More than 4,000 Icelanders paid for the ad, which demands that Iceland be immediately removed from the list of invaders in the so-called coalition of the willing.

Iceland has no military and has contributed only its government's verbal support for the US-led invasion in 2003.

A recent Gallup poll indicates that four out of five Icelanders want their country to remove its support, but the Government has ruled out any policy change.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1286824.htm

[54anickel]

4. Wonder if some had requested to be removed? n/t

[Up2Late]

10. Costa Rica did

About 6 months ago.

I think it was Costa Rica :shrug:, The Daily Show brought it to my attention

[54anickel]

14. Suppose there could have been others as well, trying to distance

themselves from Shrubco. That would explain the WH doing this change quietly. Don't want to draw attention to the pulling back of the willing.

[Thor_MN]

31. Costa Rica is gone?? I thought she was going to be Sec. of State?

[struggle4progress]

38. Solomon Islands said "How the eff did our name get on that list?"

[zbdent]

6. I wonder, is this going to be like McCarthy's list?

getting less and less as people pay more and more attention?

Oh, wait, I think I may have answered my own supposition . . . people aren't paying attention - they're "rapturous"

[peterh]

7. Someone at the round table….

Suggested that we finally tell the truth….and just call it for what it really was….the coalition of the bribed"…..where upon, after reflecting on the absorbed backhand….promptly withdrew the suggestion….hence…we’re down to 28 with fingers crossed, but it’s immaterial….just like the subject of Iraq, as a whole, was in the inaugural yawn….and WMD is soooo yesterday…..today it’s FREEDOM….and it’s freedom to the 27th power type of freedom….and since the cost of freedom is unknown, we’re not going to include that item of freedom in the freedom budget…..

I thought about trying to get freedom in 27 times….but I’ve got better things to do….and so does anyone that might stumble upon this…. :freak:

[buddysmellgood]

8. The coalition of the remaining.

[rainbow4321]

9. 46 Armenians to the rescue...

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=100007188&docId=l:252674787&start=17

Armenian servicemen were seen off to Iraq, yesterday. The ceremony took place in Evartnots airport, Yerevan. Forty-six servicemen will become a part of the Polish contingent. The parliament of Armenia ratified the Memorandum on Understanding concerning participation in Iraq, the other day. The decision to send Armenian servicemen to Iraq was made during President Robert Kocharjan's visit to Poland. It was agreed as well that a limited Armenian contingent (up to 50 servicemen) would serve in Iraq under the Polish flag.

[NYC]

18. Is Poland subcontracting?

[buddysmellgood]

19. Was John Belushi Armenian? This could be the deal that turns things.

[struggle4progress]

40. Ukraine punches hole in coalition

Jan. 15, 2005. 01:00 AM

Ukraine became the latest dropout from the "coalition of the willing" when President Leonid Kuchma formally ordered his generals to start pulling his country's roughly 1,600 troops out of Iraq.

That was not a surprise because Ukraine has been heading for the door for some time. Still, given that Ukraine has been much in the news and that its contingent was the fifth-largest in Iraq (after the United States, Britain, Italy and Poland), the exit is worth noting. <snip>

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1105743772346&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795

[wellst0nev0ter]

11. I Hope They Didn't Forget About Poland

Sorry, someone had to say that :^)

[Laurab]

13. lol I was just going to

You beat me to it!

[Up2Late]

16. One quick note about Poland

I DO get the Poland Joke, but let us not forget, We (the U.S. Tax Payers) PAID for the Polish Troops, and we flew them there too.

It's almost TOO perfect, * :dunce: hired Polish :dunce:Mercenaries, Oh, Sorry, "Troops."

[DrZeeLit]

37. Hired them THEN whined that we didn't take their sacrifice seriously... n/

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. I hope someone is collecting all these "corrections."

[struggle4progress]

42. Non-US Forces in Iraq - 15 January 2005

Countries which had troops in or supported operations in Iraq at one point but have pulled out since: Nicaragua (Feb. 2004); Spain (late-Apr. 2004); Dominican Republic (early-May 2004); Honduras (late-May 2004); Philippines (~Jul. 19, 2004); Thailand (late-Aug. 2004); and New Zealand (late Sep. 04).

Countries planning to withdraw from Iraq: Poland (starting Jan.05 and completed by end.05(?)); the Netherlands (Mar. 05); Hungary (end Dec. 04).

Countries which have reduced or are planning to reduce their troop commitment: Ukraine (-200); Moldova (reduced contingent to 12); Norway (reduced from ~150 to 10 late-Jun.04, early Jul.04); Bulgaria (-50, Dec.04); Poland (-700, Feb.05); Ukraine (entire contingent, 1st half of 2005).

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq_orbat_coalition.htm

[Straight Shooter]

15. coalition of the willing is a misnomer. It's the coalition of the willful

Or maybe the coalition of the willing, ready, but definitely not able.

[HR_Pufnstuf]

47. or..

Coalition of the Killing.

[happyslug]

51. I believe the name was "Coalition of the Bought and Paid for"

n/t

[NYC]

17. Possibly because some of the willing were not so willing?

Costa Rica wondered how it got on the list. There was an ad in The New York Times today from Icelanders denouncing their involvement.

I think some of the willing were less than willing, and too outspoken about it.

[President Kerry]

44. Could it be because Costa Rica has no military? same as Iceland..

"the coalition of the willing" (or the MOTHER of all alliances) has been an embarrassment to Rumsfeld. Then again, what hasnt?

[cliss]

20. The reason why their number has dwindled,

...is because we really didn't want them there. We DON'T really want to share the oil. But we know at the same time, it's difficult to pull this off ON OUR OWN. So we're torn.

It's the Numbers Dilemma: a buccaneer wants a treasure. He knows where it is. He can even see it, under the water at a shallow level. He wants it for himself. He doesn't want to share it with his crew.

Unfortunately, he can't do it himself. What to do? If he involves his crew, he'll have to share the treasure with his bounty hunters. If he cuts them out, he's sitting there in his rowboat, all by himself, trying to figure out how to get his greedy claws on the treasure FOR HIMSELF.

He can't do it. Paces the floor, troubled. In the end, he tries for a "compromise". He settles for half the crew, and tries to double-cross them once the treasure is brought up to the surface. Plans to kill the others once the loot is in his hands.

Trouble is, they might have plans of their own.....


...as old as time itself.

[jmcon007]

21. You can fit 'em in a phone booth.....

The so-called 'coalition of the willing'is a veritable who's who of tiny obscure nations in company with the bribed and the threatened. It ought to be called the 'coalition of the ain't-got-no-choicers'.

[CatWoman]

22. Oh no!!! This is heartbreaking!!!!

The "Republic of Bob" has withdrawn support?

[StaggerLee]

32. snort!

I remember that cartoon!

Thanks for the laugh.

:)

[cyclezealot]

23. Bush's goal of protecting liberty everywhere.

Means closing down US military bases and constucting such in the likes of Bulgaria in order to bribe them...How many years in a row can we consturct bases in Bulgaria, Kazharstan or whatever in order to add to the list of coalition of the willing..

[Chicago Democrat]

24. How about "Stooge Pool"

:)

[mpendragon]

50. we could co-opt the army's new slogan

A coalition of one.

[Chicago Democrat]

25. Call it "The List of Lackeys"

:)

[Chicago Democrat]

26. I know, "The Roster of Butt Lickers"

:)

[dutchdoctor]

27. The dutch government has just decided to pull our the dutch troops!

There were about a thousand marines guarding a large stretch of empty desert in the south of the country.
This week, the dutch government, in spite of huge american and british pressure, decided not to extend the mission after march 15th, when it was planned to end.. Yay!
I would place a link, but no international news sites have found this piece of news important enough to report.. (is it because 1000 troops is not seen as that many, or because they knew that the fighting power of the entire unit was probably less than one Iraqi with a hand grenade??)

[rainbow4321]

28. Here is a link..not from US MSM, though, of course!

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=41468


The Netherlands will pull out its troops from Iraq on March 15, sticking with a decision first made in June.

Dutch news agency ANP cited Defense Minister Henk Kamp on Friday as saying that the country's 1,350-contingent will leave the US-led multinational contingent.

The Netherlands first sent troops to Iraq in August 2003 and won parliamentary approval this summer to extend their stay until March 2005.

Iraq's interim administration wants to hold elections in January despite mounting violence, and the Netherlands has come under increasing US and British pressure to keep its troops there after March.

[Up2Late]

30. Welcome to our "News Blackout"

I'm sure the people in your country will eventually know. Here, GWBush and his buddies don't talk about Iraq much anymore, or tell his 44% that things are going great.:evilgrin:

[BeHereNow]

34. Welcome to DU Dutch Doc!

Please relay my gratitude to your government.
Perhaps if enough countries pull out, the ignorant
people in this country will be FORCED to acknowledge
that we have lost this hideous and illegal
travesty of a "war," and demand that our government
bring our troops come home...as in NOW.
BHN

[dutchdoctor]

43. I hope you're right..

but somehow I feel that the presence was only symbolic anyway. I guess no one will even notice they have left..
Like someone else said here at DU: U.S. will come home too, the only question is how many lives will have been lost before they do. SAD!

edited to make the spelling slightly more english and slightly less dutch!

[President Kerry]

45. holy fucking crap!! i almost lost my lunch over the pic! n/t

very funny

[BradBlog]

29. I know why, and I know when...

See http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001140.htm for details

(Hint, The BRAD BLOG broke this story three months ago...)

Brad
The BRAD BLOG - http://www.BradBlog.com
VELVET REVOLUTION - http://VelvetRevolution.us

[BeHereNow]

33. WHAT? Nobody wants to be on the "Targets for Blowback" list?

Why, I just don't understand that!
BWAHAHAHA...
Good on them, the countries that actually
care about protecting their civilians from
becoming terrorism targets, that is.
Wish our country cared about us that much...
BHN

[Learning2Fly]

35. No, they just don't want to get

suckered into Iran to "help spread democracy."

[BeHereNow]

36. No doubt, that too!

And Welcome to DU!
BHN

[Up2Late]

48. I don't know if it so much "caring" anymore...

I think at this point, it has become a matter, for *, of ego and/or Pride, one of the 7 Deadly Sins (not that this is the only one, of the seven, he has committed in this War):evilfrown:

[merh]

46. You mean the weed lied during the debates when he referenced

the Coalition of the Willing and ridiculed Kerry for "forgetting Poland"?

"The senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the White House replaced the coalition list with a smaller roster of 28 countries with troops in Iraq sometime after the June transfer of power to an interim Iraqi government."

[Roland99]

49. Voted it a '5'...only at 2.96