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Multi-National Force – Iraq

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The multinational force in Iraq, also known as the Coalition, are the nations whose governments have military personnel in Iraq as part of the American-led war effort. The media normally use the term US-led coalition, to describe this force, since nearly 92% of the troops are American.

In November 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush, visiting Europe for a NATO summit, declared that "should Iraqi President Saddam Hussein choose not to disarm, the United States will lead a coalition of the willing to disarm him."[1] Thereafter, the Bush administration used the term "Coalition of the Willing" to refer to the countries who supported (most of them not militarily) the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent occupation duties in post-invasion Iraq since 2003. The original list prepared in March 2003 included 49 members.[2] The war was however deeply unpopular in many of the coalition countries [3] and at least one, Costa Rica, requested in September 2004 to no longer be considered a member. Today the official White House list of the coalition shows 48 member states,[4] excluding Costa Rica.

2003 invasion of Iraq

Five countries participated with troops during the initial invasion (termed the Major Combat Operations phase), which lasted from March 19 to May 1. These were the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Poland and Denmark.

Troop deployment in Iraq 2003-present

Template:Iraq War Coalition troop deployment

The occupation of Iraq

According to the Bush administration, its allies, and the U.S. military; the occupation ended on June 28, 2004, but those who question the legitimacy of the interim government appointed by the United States believe it continued. Indeed, the expulsion of occupation forces is the main objective of Iraqi guerrilla fighters who launched a Guerrilla warfare. Polls conducted by American companies have found that a majority of Iraqi citizens are not only against the occupation, but support attacks on foreign soldiers. Additionally, Iran and Syria are strongly opposed to the presence of US troops in Iraq, and there have been widespread protests demanding the withdrawal of troops in several countries, the largest of which occurred in the United States, the UK, South Korea, Spain and Italy. President Bush disagreed with the rationale of the insurgents, claiming that "...what is causing violence in Iraq is the fact that Iraq is heading toward freedom."[5]

The United States deployed more than seven-eighths of the soldiers in the occupying coalition with the majority of other troops coming from the United Kingdom and the rest made up from several other allies. Although their status as Coalition Provisional Authority, or "Occupying Powers" under a United Nations resolution, changed when the new government asserted its sovereignty on June 28, the mission of the multinational force has decreased only by small numbers.

As of February 5, 2007, the United States Department of Defense had confirmed that 3,093 US troops had been killed fighting in Iraq as United States forces struggle to put down the Iraqi insurgency.

Mission objectives

MNF-I objectives as of May 2006

  • Iraq is at peace with its neighbors
  • Iraq is an ally in the War on Terror [citation needed]
  • Iraq has a representative government that respects the human rights of all Iraqis
  • Iraq has a security force that can maintain domestic order and deny Iraq as a safe haven for terrorists

The government of Iraq enjoys broad international support, including from nations of the Arab League. Jordan is assisting in training of the Iraqi Security Forces, the United Arab Emirates have donated military equipment (bought from Switzerland), and Egypt is actively helping in the reconciliation process, for example.

Iraq is a pluralistic democracy. Iraq's constitution guarantees freedoms of speech, assembly and religion, private ownership of property, privacy and equality before the law. The December 2005 parliamentary election had a 75% voter turnout.

As of September 2006, 302,000 Iraqi security forces have been trained and equipped. By the end of 2006, MNF-I believes that all 325,000 planned ISF members will be trained and equipped. ISF may be fully capable of maintaining domestic order sometime in 2007, perhaps with coalition help in logistics, close-air support and medical assistance.[6]

In November 2006, the United Nations Security Council voted to extend the mandate of the multinational force in Iraq until the end of 2007. The move was requested by the Iraqi government, which said the troops were needed for another year while it built up its own security forces.[7]

Coalition of the Willing

The origin of the phrase

The precise origins of the phrase are unknown, but it has been used since at least the late 1980s to refer to groups of nations acting collectively, often in defiance of the United Nations. Specific uses of the phrase in the context of disarming Iraq began appearing in mid-2001.

Criticism of the phrase

Iraq War critics such as John Pilger have pointed out that 98% of the military is from the US and Britain and is therefore accurately described as a predominantly Anglo-American force rather than as a coalition.

In a 2004 U.S. presidential debate, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry questioned the size of the coalition, saying that Bush portrayed the effort as a widespread international consensus when actually only two major allies of the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, had comparatively substantial numbers of soldiers on the ground during the initial invasion. President Bush responded by saying, "Well, actually, he forgot Poland". The phrase You forgot Poland subsequently became a humorous shorthand for the perception that most members of the coalition were not contributing much to the war effort compared to the main three allies. The majority of the population in most countries involved did not, according to some surveys, support the endeavour or their nation's participation.[8]

U.S. Senator Robert Byrd, ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, has referred to the coalition formed for the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the acronym COW, expressing his concern that the United States was being "milked" as a "cash cow." A Canadian MP Carolyn Parrish referred to the "Coalition of the Willing" as the "Coalition of the Idiots". She was reprimanded for these comments, and was eventually removed from the Liberal Party caucus.

Dave Chappelle parodied the phrase on his sketch comedy show Chappelle's Show with the sketch "Black Bush".

Michael Moore devoted one sub-chapter to the Coalition in his book Dude, Where's My Country?. He remarked that most countries in the Coalition did not really help and that several had no army. He dubbed it "The Coalition of the Coerced, Bribed, and Intimidated".

List of nations in the Coalition

Original supporters of the effort
Countries currently with forces in Iraq

More than 100,000 soldiers

  •  United States - Reports from CENTCOM indicate that there are currently around 140,000 Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps personnel deployed to the western, northern and central regions of Iraq.[9] As of 24 February, 2007, a total of 3,151 American military personnel (including all branches of the military) had been killed in Iraq: 2,559 in engagements and ambushes (assault rifle and sniper fire; RPG, Katyusha and mortar attacks; the shooting down of several helicopters and a jet; but mostly roadside bombings) as well as vehicle accidents which occurred as a result of hostile fire. 592 were killed in non-hostile incidents including a small number of drownings, illnesses and electrocutions, but mostly accidental vehicle crashes and weapon discharges. At least 23,550 American military personnel have been wounded in action. One soldier, Matt Maupin, was kidnapped after an attack on his convoy on April 9, 2004 and remains missing.[10][11] Another soldier, Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie, an Iraqi-American, was kidnapped in Baghdad on October 24, 2006 and also remains missing.[12]

More than 1,000 soldiers

  •  United Kingdom - 7,100 troops in Iraq as of February 2007;[9] also commanding a number of other coalition troops throughout the southeastern provinces. After the invasion, approximately 8,500 troops were stationed in the south of the country, but 1,300 were withdrawn in early 2006.[13] About 1,300 more are stationed in The Persian Gulf region. Prime Minister Tony Blair had considered an expansion of up to 2,000 troops to replace those of Spain and other departing nations. However, military commanders as well as former diplomats criticizing US military tactics put that into question and the idea has since been shelved. On 6 September 2006, the Ministry of Defence declared that 300 additional soldiers would be sent to Iraq temporarily to reinforce security during an upcoming six-monthly rotation, these were withdrawn by January 2007.[14] On February 20, 2007, the British government declared that British soldiers would begin a timetabled withdrawal from Iraq, with 1,600 expected to return from Iraq by the end of February and a further 1,600 by the beginning of 2008.[15] British forces currently command the Multi-National Division (South East) which includes troops from several other countries. The deployment includes infantry, mechanised infantry and armored units as well as water-borne patrol personnel and a range of aircraft. The UK has lost 132 soldiers in Iraq: 100 in ambushes, engagements, bombings or other attacks (including the shooting down of a C-130 Hercules transport plane which killed 10 soldiers). Out of the remaining 32, the cause of death included accidents, friendly fire, illnesses, and suicide. See also: Operation Telic (operational name for the UK's involvement in Iraq) for further information on the British contribution.
  •  South Korea - 2,300 troops in Iraq as of February 2007. 1,300 troops were withdrawn in early 2006 from an initial 3,600, after a December 2005 vote by the National Assembly[16] (10-3 with one abstention), thus approving a government proposal. The South Korean government has also announced its intention to withdraw around 1,200 more troops during the first half of 2007, with a complete pullout likely by the beginning of 2008. Their main tasks have been to provide medical services and to build and repair roads, power lines, schools and other public works. 3,000 soldiers, mostly combat engineers of the Zaytun ("olive-peace") Division, were deployed in late September 2004 to Irbil in the Kurdish-controlled region of northern Iraq and converged with the 600 humanitarian troops that had been operating in southern Iraq since April 2003. Although South Korea has the third-largest contingent in Iraq, the only deaths attributed to their presence were accidents involving both South Korean and Iraqi civilians.

More than 100 soldiers

  •  Australia - Australian involvement in Iraq (designated Operation Catalyst by the Australian military) consists of several specialised units in and around the country. The largest contribution is the Overwatch Battle Group (West), based in Southern Iraq and consisting of about 550 soldiers. This unit was previously known as the Al Muthanna Task Group, which had about 450 troops and was deployed on February 22 2005 for the purpose of replacing the withdrawn Dutch contingent. Other Army deployments include 400 personnel stationed in Kuwait, a security detachment (SECDET) composed of approximately 100 troops protecting the Australian embassy in Baghdad, and an Australian Army training team of about 20 troops and several dozen liaison officers distributed throughout Iraq. Australia has a naval presence in the Persian Gulf as part of Australian-led Task Force 158 (TF158) which involves the periodic rotation of Anzac class frigates, currently the HMAS Warramunga (221 personnel). The Royal Australian Air Force has deployed two AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and two C-130 Hercules transport aircraft (330 personnel). There have been several injuries but no deaths of Australian troops in Iraq attributed to hostile action, however, a SASR commando was killed in a vehicle accident in Kuwait, and a soldier Jacob Kovco assigned to the Baghdad SECDET, died from an accidental discharge of his pistol[17]. (See also: Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq)
  •  Poland - Currently, 900 non-combat troops from the 'First Warsaw Division'. Poland leads the Multi-National Division (South Central) which consists of forces from several other countries. In accordance with the decision of the former Polish Minister of Defense Jerzy Szmajdziński, the number of troops was reduced from 2,500 to 1,500 during the second half of 2005. Poland's former leftist government, which lost 25 September 2005 elections, had planned to withdraw the remaining 1,500 troops in January. However, the new defense minister, Radosław Sikorski, visited Washington on 3 December for talks on Poland's coalition plans, and Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz declared that he would decide after the Iraqi elections on 15 December, whether to extend its troops' mandate beyond 31 December.[18] On Tuesday 22 December, Prime Minister Marcinkiewicz announced that he had asked President Lech Kaczyński to keep Polish troops in Iraq for another year, calling it "a very difficult decision."[19] On 5 January 2006, Polish troops handed over control of the central Babil province to US troops and decided to remain on bases in Kut and Diwaniyah for the remainder of their mandate[20], cutting their contingent from 1,500 troops to 900 troops two months later[21], and switching their main objective from patrolling their sector to the training of Iraqi security forces. Poland has lost 19 soldiers in Iraq: 13 in bombings or ambushes and 6 in various accidents. In July 2004, Al Zarqawi released a statement threatening Japan, Poland and Bulgaria over their troop deployments. He demanded of the Polish government 'Pull your troops out of Iraq or you will hear the sounds of explosions that will hit your country.' Hours later Prime Minister Marek Belka denied, and deputy Defence Minister Janusz Zemke said pulling out would be a 'terrible mistake.'
  •  Romania - About 600 troops, most of whom operate under British command (South-East Iraq)[9], working on infrastructure and clearing mines, with a few dozen intelligence officers stationed north of Baghdad. Romanian President Traian Basescu announced on 30 August 2006 that, within two months, Romania would withdraw its troops from Iraq. However, on 8 November, 2006, Romanian Defense Minister Sorin Frunzaverde stated that there was to be no scheduled withdrawal.[22] One Romanian soldier died in a Kuwaiti hospital, ten days after shooting himself in the head, and another was killed in a roadside bombing (along with three Italians). 130 more troops were deployed for UNAMI.
  •  Denmark - 460 troops under UK command (South-East Iraq) including infantry and military police, based near Basra at "Camp Danevang". This is in addition to 35 troops operating under UNAMI. Denmark has lost six soldiers in Iraq; one to friendly fire, one in a vehicle accident, and four to hostile incidents, while several more have been wounded. From 2003 to mid-2006, Denmark extended its Iraq deployment during biannual parliamentary meetings. However, in May 2006 the Danish parliament voted to extend the Danish military force in Iraq for a full year until July 2007. The Danish government repeatedly guaranteed that its forces would remain as long as the Iraqi government requested them.[23] On 21 February 2007 Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced the withdrawal of Danish troops in Iraq would be completed by August 2007.[24]
  •  El Salvador - 380 troops from the 'Cuscatlan Battalion' under Polish command (Central South Iraq). El Salvador has lost five soldiers in Iraq, four in hostile incidents and one in an accident.
  •  Georgia - 300 commandos under US command in Baqouba. In June 2004, three soldiers were wounded in an attack on a US base, and in November 2005, four were wounded in a bombing. 550 more forces were deployed in June 2005 for UNAMI.
  •  Bulgaria - There are currently 120 Bulgarian troops guarding Camp Ashraf in Iraq.[9] and 35 support personnel. Bulgaria withdrew its original contribution of about 300 soldiers in 2005, their objective had been guarding the city centre of Diwaniyah. HoweverThis was approved by the Bulgarian parliament on January 17, 2007.[25]
  •  Azerbaijan - 150 troops under US command at the city of Hadid, in the far north of Iraq. They provide security for the local Turkmen population and guard important sites, including a dam.
  •  Mongolia - 100 infantrymen (previously 160) in a company known as the 'Peacekeeping Operations Battalion' under Polish command.[9]
  •  Latvia - 125 troops under Polish command (Central South Iraq). Latvia lost three soldiers in Iraq due to insurgent attacks.
  •  Albania - 120 non-combat troops under US command, stationed at Mosul airport.

Fewer than 100 soldiers

  • Netherlands Netherlands - Currently there are 15 Dutch soldiers in Iraq, training police as part of a NATO mission[26]. An independent contingent of 1,345 troops (including 650 Dutch Marines, three or four Chinook helicopters, a military police unit, a logistics team, a commando squad, a field hospital and Royal Netherlands Air Force AH-64 attack helicopters in support) was deployed to Iraq in July 2003, based in Samawah (Southern Iraq). On June 1 2004, the Dutch government renewed their stay through 2005. The Algemeen Dagblad reported on October 21 2004, that the Netherlands would pull its troops out of Iraq in March 2005, which it did, leaving half a dozen liaison officers until late 2005. The Dutch Government reportedly turned down an Iraqi Government request to extend the Dutch contingent for another year. The Netherlands lost two soldiers in separate insurgent attacks.
  •  Czech Republic - 100 troops under British command (South-East Iraq).[9] (Reduced from about 300 troops and 3 civilians running a field hospital, first deployted in late 2003) After 2006, the goal changed from training Iraqi police to guarding Shaibah logistics base.
  •  Lithuania - 53 troops under Polish command (Central South Iraq).[9] The Lithuanian government has declared its intention to stay until August 2007.
  •  Armenia deployed a unit of 46 medics, engineers and logistics personnel under Polish command. On 5 December 2005, the Armenian government declared its intention to stay in Iraq for another year,[27], and did the same on 6 December 2006[28]
  •  Bosnia and Herzegovina deployed a unit of 30 men to destroy munitions and clear mines as of June 2005, in addition to 6 command personnel.
  •  Estonia - 35 infantry troops known as the 'EstPla-11' unit under US command in Baghdad. Two soldiers were killed in Iraq in separate insurgent attacks.
  •  Macedonia - 33 special forces soldiers under US command somewhere in the centre of Iraq.[9]
  •  Kazakhstan - 27 military engineers under Polish command.[9] One was killed (09/01/2005) along with eight Ukrainians when a pile of booby-trapped munitions was detonated by insurgents.
  • Netherlands Netherlands - Currently there are 15 Dutch soldiers in Iraq, training police as part of a NATO mission[29]. An independent contingent of 1,345 troops (including 650 Dutch Marines, three or four Chinook helicopters, a military police unit, a logistics team, a commando squad, a field hospital and Royal Netherlands Air Force AH-64 attack helicopters in support) was deployed to Iraq in 2003, based in Samawah (Southern Iraq). On June 1 2004, the Dutch government renewed their stay through 2005. The Algemeen Dagblad reported on October 21 2004, that the Netherlands would pull its troops out of Iraq in March 2005, which it did, leaving half a dozen liaison officers until late 2005. The Dutch Government reportedly turned down an Iraqi Government request to extend the Dutch contingent for another year. The Netherlands lost two soldiers in separate insurgent attacks.
  • Moldova Moldova - 11 de-mining specialists.[9] The Washington Post, on 15 July 2004, reported that Moldova had quietly halved its contingent from 24 to 12. It was widely believed that Moldova withdrew these remaining troops in February 2005, but they were replaced by a fresh contingent. A third rotation took place in February 2006.
  • Slovenia Slovenia - In early 2006, Slovenia deployed 4 officers to aid the NATO mission training Iraqi police.[30]

United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI)

  •  Georgia - 550 soldiers from the 'Shavnabada Battalion' were assigned to perform UN protection duties (separate from 300 Coalition troops). However, they were placed under US command in a "Middle Ring Security" mission in the Green Zone. One soldier was severely injured in May 2005 in an IED attack on an American convoy, and treated at Walter Reed hospital in the United States.
  •  Fiji - 168 Fijian troops protecting UN buildings and staff in and around the Green Zone as of August 2006. In response to an 'urgent request' by the UN, Fiji sent an additional 34 soldiers on 30 August 2006 to complement its existing 134.[31] As many as 300 had been in Baghdad during the January 2006 elections. ABC News reported on the October 20, 2004, that the contingent (trained, equipped and transported to Iraq by Australia) would be deployed the following month. A Fijian soldier died of a suspected heart attack on March 16, 2006. According to a BBC Monitoring report, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces had abandoned plans to deploy a battalion to Iraq under the Coalition, for financial reasons.
  •  Romania - 130 blue-helmets performing UN protection duties, separate from the larger Romanian contingent operating under the US-led Coalition.
  •  Denmark - 35 troops under UNAMI and NATO in addition to 460 Coalition soldiers.

Nations no longer participating in ground operations

2007 Withdrawals

  •  Slovakia - On January 27, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced that all 110 non-combat troops had been transferred from Diwaniya to Kuwait. The majority of troops are expected home in February.[32] Four Slovak soldiers were killed by mortars and roadside bombs during their deployment in Iraq.

2006 Withdrawals

  •  Canada - Canada disclosed that there have been Canadian military liaison personnel "embedded in American and coalition forces since the beginning of the conflict."[33] In addition, an undisclosed number of JTF2 operators were deployed to Iraq temporarily, working closely with US and British special forces to carry out the rescue of the Christian Peacemaker Hostages.[34] The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canadian Security Intelligence Service were also involved in that operation.[35] The Canadian government was criticised by opposition parties for the participation of less than ten navy personnel participating in Iraq on a NATO exchange.[citation needed]
  •  Japan - The last 280 of the original 600 medics and engineers based in Samawah (Southern Iraq) had been withdrawn by July 25, 2006, arriving home in Tokyo in the early morning.[36] The reconstruction mission in Samawa had limited the troops' activities to "non-combat zones". Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Cabinet decided on 8 December 2005 to allow its 600 troops to stay for another year,[37] despite a poll by the Asahi newspaper which found that 69% of respondents were against renewing the mandate, up from 55% in January. Despite the apparent year-long extension of the mandate, PM Koizumi announced on 20 June 2006 that the Japanese contingent would be withdrawn within 'several dozen days',[38] citing the completion of the Japanese mission in Samawah. However, he suggested expanding airborne logistical support from southern parts of the country to Baghdad in place of the ground force. Three Japanese hostages were captured in Iraq in early 2004 but were released unharmed a week later. Later, in a statement released in July 2004, Al Zarqawi released a statement threatening Japan, Poland and Bulgaria over their troop deployments. He demanded the Japanese government to 'do what the Philippines have done' and withdraw its troops, and said that 'lines of cars laden with explosives are awaiting you' if his demands were not met. Mortars and rockets have been lobbed at the Japanese camp several times, causing no damage or injuries.
  •  Italy - On September 21, 2006, Italian forces handed over Dhi Qar province in southern Iraq to newly-trained Iraqi security forces, thus ending their military mission: "The Italian contingent is going back. The mission is accomplished — the security of the province is in your hands", Minister of Defence Arturo Parisi said to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.[39] About a month earlier, on August 23, the Italian contingent stood at 1,600 troops. The 'Garibaldi Brigade' served its final four month tour of duty between May and Sepetember 2006, and included mechanised infantry, helicopters and Carabinieri in South Central Iraq, based around Nasiriyah. The original contingent consisted of about 3,200 troops, but on 9 July 2005, former PM Berlusconi announced that Italian soldiers would gradually be withdrawn in groups of 300. New Prime Minister Romano Prodi had pledged to withdraw the troops in his first speech to the senate and called the war "a grave mistake that has complicated rather than solved the problem of security".[40][41] Shortly after, on 26 May, 2006, Italian foreign minister Massimo D'Alema announced that the Italian forces would be reduced from 1,800 to 1,600 by June. On June 8, he said Italy's military presence in Iraq would end before 2007.[42] The Italian forces have lost 33 soldiers in Iraq. 25 were hostile deaths: Two in separate engagements, six in various roadside bombings, 17 in a late 2003 suicide bombing on the Italian HQ in Nasiriyah (which also killed at least two Italian civilians), eight were accidents and one, a ranking major general, was a controversial friendly fire incident. Italy has another 84 troops stationed on bases in the Persian Gulf. Recently, A-129 Mangusta attack helicopters and more Dardo tracked IFVs have been sent to Iraq.
  • Norway Norway - 140 of 150 troops (engineers and mine clearers) withdrawn on June 30, 2004 citing growing domestic opposition and the need for the troops elsewhere; the ten remaining liaison officers had been withdrawn by August 2006. The Bondevik II administration insists the troops were never part of the invasion force, citing a UN humanitarian mandate. This does not seem to have come to the attention of the international community, as Al-Qaeda has included Norway in videotaped threats on at least two occasions, and US organizations have included Norway on their lists of participating nations. The actual status of Norwegian engineering and administrative personnel past and present are still a matter of domestic controversy, in part because troops serving in a war zone are entitled to better pay.

2005 Withdrawals

  • Portugal Portugal - had 128 military policemen under Italian command (South East Iraq). Troops were withdrawn on 10 February 2005, two days ahead of schedule.
  • Ukraine Ukraine - As of December 22, 2005, all remaining Ukrainian troops crossed the Iraqi border into Kuwait and arrived home in the Ukraine by December 30. This fulfills a long-planned withdrawal pledged by President Viktor Yushchenko who was sworn in on the January 23, 2005, and executes a ruling by the Ukrainian legislative body, the Verkhovna Rada, which passed a motion for the withdrawal of all troops. An independent contingent originally consisting of 1,650 mechanized infantry troops in Kut (South Central Iraq), had been slashed to around 900 between March 15 and May 15, 2004.[43] This number was then reduced continuously until the 44 remaining troops were pulled out along with the last of the vehicles within the final days of 2005.[44] Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko announced that 30 Army officers, ten specialists from the border service and ten representatives from the Interior Ministry would stay in Iraq, and that they would work at headquarter and command facilities. Ukraine lost a total of 18 soldiers in Iraq: 12 in attacks, 3 in accidents, 2 in suicides and 1 as a result of a heart attack, while 32 were wounded or injured. Early in 2004, three Ukrainian engineers were taken hostage in Iraq but were freed shortly after.
  • Bulgaria Bulgaria - As of December 27, 2005, the last of the Bulgarian contingent in Iraq withdrew into Kuwait following a decision made by the Parliament in May. Bulgaria had announced on November 3, 2004, that it would reduce the size of its contingent to 462 troops during the next scheduled unit rotation. This number dropped to 380 by late November 2005. The original contingent of 380 mechanized infantry troops, which was under Polish command, guarded municipal buildings and the town centre in Kerbala (South Central Iraq). Bulgaria lost 13 soldiers in Iraq: one to friendly fire, seven in attacks and five in accidents. In addition, two Bulgarian truck drivers working for companies serving coalition troops have been captured and killed in Iraq, with another ambushed and killed. Three Bulgarian pilots were killed when their Mi-17 transport helicopter (transporting a team of private military contractors) was shot down in April 2005.
  • Singapore Singapore - A total of 192 Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel returned on 31 January 2004 after a two month deployment. A Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) amphibious transport dock conducted logistical tasks such as replenishing supplies for other naval vessels in the Persian Gulf, and conducted patrols to enforce a maritime presence. It also provided a platform for helicopter missions and maritime boarding operations missions by teams from other coalition countries when they inspected ships leaving Iraq. A (SAF) C-130 transport aircraft returned on 4 April 2004 after a two month deployment. During its deployment, the C-130 detachment conducted air support missions, including providing airlift and transportation of logistics supply to coalition forces. A SAF KC-135 tanker aircraft returned on 11 September 2004 after a three month deployment. During its deployment, the KC-135 provided air-to-air refuelling for coalition forces. A RSN amphibious transport dock with 180 personnel returned on 19 March 2005 after a three month deployment. Currently, there are no SAF personnel in or around Iraq.

2004 Withdrawals

  • Nicaragua Nicaragua - 230 troops left in February 2004, no replacement, attributed to financial reasons. While in Iraq, the troops were under Spanish command.
  • Spain Spain - had 1,300 troops (mostly assigned to policing duties) in Najaf and commanded the troops of Honduras, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and of Nicaragua. Newly elected Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero fulfilled one of his campaign pledges and declared the end of the mission on April 28, 2004 with the withdrawal of the last 260 troops. While in Iraq, Spain lost 11 military personnel: ten killed in insurgent attacks and one in an accident. Already during the mandate of the previous pro-invasion executive, Spanish permanent representative Inocencio Arias raised questions about the legitimacy of the Iraq war.
  • Honduras Honduras - 368 troops withdrawn by end of May 2004 along with Spain's contingent, citing that the troops were sent there for reconstruction, not combat. While in Iraq, the troops were under Spanish command (South East Iraq).
  • Dominican Republic Dominican Republic - 302 troops withdrawn by end of May 2004, shortly after Spain and Honduras withdrew their contingents, citing growing domestic opposition and the fall from power of PRD candidate Hipplito Mejia and the election of center-left PLD candidate Leonel Fernandez to the presidency in 2004. Dominican troops were under constant mortar attacks but suffered no casualties. While in Iraq, the troops were under Spanish command (South East Iraq).
  • Philippines Philippines - 51 medics, engineers and sand soldiers withdrawn July 14 2004 in response to kidnapping of a truck driver. When the hostage takers' demands were met (Filipino troops out of Iraq), the hostage was released. While in Iraq, the troops were under Polish command (Central South Iraq) and during that time several Filipino soldiers were wounded in an insurgent attack but none died.
  • Thailand Thailand - Withdrawal of last 100 troops from Thailand's 423-strong humanitarian contingent completed on 10 September 2004, in accordance with Thailand's mandate in Iraq which expired in September. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had previously announced early withdrawal if the situation became too dangerous. Thailand lost two soldiers in Iraq in an insurgent attack.
  • Hungary Hungary - Hungary's contingent of 300 transportation troops had begun arriving home in Budapest from Iraq on 22 December 2004, reported AFP. All of Hungary's troops were reported by the Defence Ministry to have left Iraq by the end of that day. While in Iraq one Hungarian soldier was killed in an insurgent attack.
  • New Zealand New Zealand - Two rotations of 61 military engineers, known as Task Force Rake, operated in Iraq from September 26, 2003 to September 25, 2004.[45][46] They were deployed to undertake humanitarian and reconstruction tasks consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 1483; they were not part of the invading force. While in Iraq the unit was under British command (South East Iraq) and was based in Basra.
  • Tonga Tonga - 45 Royal Marines. Arrived in Iraq at the beginning of July 2004 to augment the I Marine Expeditionary Force in the Al Anbar Province. Withdrew all forces in mid-December 2004.
  • Iceland Iceland - Iceland had two Explosive Ordnance Disposal experts, a medical advisor, and some transport experts assigned to the Danish unit immediately after the occupation began; they have since been withdrawn.

Private military contractors

In addition to regular troops there are roughly 35,000[47] private military contractors in Iraq. These contractors also differ from regular troops as they are outside a Uniform Code of Military Justice, and have little or no legal accountability. However under the Geneva Conventions private contractors, along with everyone in Iraq, may be tried by fair and impartial military tribunals set up by one of the Occupying Powers.

See also

References

  1. ^ http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/11/20/prague.bush.nato/
  2. ^ http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030327-10.html
  3. ^ http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/articles/breuropera/74.php?nid=&id=&pnt=74&lb=breu
  4. ^ http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/iraq/news/20030327-10.html
  5. ^ http://www.worldtribune.com/bush43.html
  6. ^ MNF-I Press briefing May 11, 2006
  7. ^ "UN renews mandate for Iraq troops". BBC News. November 28, 2006. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ http://www.gallup-international.com/ContentFiles/survey.asp?id=10
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/iraq_coalition_glance
  10. ^ http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/06/20/soldiers.missing/index.html
  11. ^ http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=907492006
  12. ^ http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6719&Itemid=21
  13. ^ http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/03/13/uk.iraq/index.html
  14. ^ http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/LSGZ-6TDCMX?OpenDocument
  15. ^ http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/02/20/uk.iraq.troops/index.html
  16. ^ http://english.aljazeera.net/news/archive/archive?ArchiveId=16866
  17. ^ http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/kovco-died-in-gun-bungle/2006/12/01/1164777779394.html
  18. ^ http://www.forbes.com/finance/feeds/afx/2005/12/05/afx2368699.html
  19. ^ http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/12/27/poland.troops.ap/index.html
  20. ^ http://www.radio.com.pl/polonia/article.asp?tId=31510&j=2
  21. ^ http://today.reuters.com/News/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=N01201621
  22. ^ http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-11/09/content_5306736.htm
  23. ^ http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=1386709&C=europe
  24. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6430163,00.html
  25. ^ http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=29780
  26. ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/iraq_coalition_glance
  27. ^ Armenian peacekeepers to stay an extra year in Iraq
  28. ^ "Armenian defense minister to visit Iraq as Armenia to extend small troop presence". The Associated Press. 13 November 2006. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |acessdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/iraq_coalition_glance
  30. ^ http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,85212,00.html
  31. ^ http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s1728439.htm?Fiji
  32. ^ http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-01/27/content_5662652.htm
  33. ^ http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/03/23/canadian_role060323.html
  34. ^ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-2102543,00.html
  35. ^ http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060323/canadian_aid_hostages_060323/20060323?hub=World
  36. ^ http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060725/1/42b0d.htm
  37. ^ http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-12/08/content_3893543.htm
  38. ^ http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Japanese_Forces_Begin_Iraq_Pullout_999.html
  39. ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060921/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_italy
  40. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1778041,00.html
  41. ^ http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/CC7BDEF3-289F-4287-8987-4E2E2F07D4A7.htm
  42. ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060526/ap_on_re_eu/italy_iraq
  43. ^ http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/VBOL-6JTE65?OpenDocument
  44. ^ http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/12/27/poland.troops.ap/index.html
  45. ^ http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0409/S00218.htm
  46. ^ http://www.army.mil.nz/?CHANNEL=OPERATIONS&PAGE=Iraq+-+UNMOVIC
  47. ^ "Private Security Company Association of Iraq". PSCAI. 2006-9-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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