Why are we "Going it alone" in Iraq?

Question

So often I hear the criticism that the US is 'going it alone' in Iraq.
Is it truly the case? How many countries are supporting our efforts there WITH their own SOLDIERS?

For the answer, see my blog article "Unilateral Military Action"
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-DfkctJU7dK5B7LcNROoyVQ--;_ylt=AiNXZokI1G6zowgYXNnJS9mkAOJ3?cq=1

Robert, thank you for your service and support of us in Afghanistan. Your troops are proving the Canadians to be fine allies and excellent warriors, even if you have not seen fit to support us in Iraq.

The position of Turkey and its decision to not support our efforts is explained in my article "Regional webs of Entanglement" and had much more to do with the Kurds than anything else.

It's 25 in the Coalition
plus 7 under the NATO banner.
which represents over 10% of the nations in the world.

To find the list of nations, please see the blog.

Wanna talk about some hard charging warriors, those Romanians were a real surprise to me. And let me add they love the good ole USA. They are fine allies all the way around and don't get the credit they deserve!

Answer 1

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 (250,000), United Kingdom (45,000), Australia (2,000), Poland (194) and Denmark (300).

[edit] Troop deployment in Iraq 2003-present
Iraq War Coalition troop deployment
Active troops Withdrawn troops Multinational Force Iraq units

* Flag of United States United States: 250,000 invasion--165,000 current (6/07)
* Flag of United Kingdom United Kingdom: 45,000 invasion--5,500 current (5/07)
* Flag of Poland Poland: 194 invasion--2,500 peak--900 current (2/07)
* Flag of Australia Australia: 2,000 invasion--638 current (2/07)
* Flag of Denmark Denmark: 300 invasion--460 current (2/07)

TOTAL INVASION DEPLOYMENT, REGULAR TROOPS
297,494

* Flag of South Korea South Korea: 3,600 peak – 1,200 current (5/07; deployed 5/03)
* Flag of Romania Romania: 730 peak – 405 current (5/07; deployed 7/03)
* Flag of Georgia (country) Georgia: 500 troops – 300 current (2/07)
* Flag of El Salvador El Salvador: 380 troops (2/07) (deployed 08/03)
* Flag of Czech Republic Czech Republic: 300 peak--89 current (5/07)
* Flag of Azerbaijan Azerbaijan: 250 troops (2/07)
* Flag of Latvia Latvia: 136 peak--125 current (2/07)(deployed 4/04)
* Flag of Mongolia Mongolia: 180 peak--100 current (2/07)(deployed 8/03)
* Flag of Albania Albania: 120 troops (2/07)
* Flag of Lithuania Lithuania: 120 peak--53 current (2/07)
* Flag of Slovakia Slovakia: 110 troops (2/07) (deployed 8/03)
* Flag of Armenia Armenia: 46 current (2/07; deployed 1/05)
* Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina: 36 troops (2/07; deployed 6/05)
* Flag of Estonia Estonia: 35 current (2/07; deployed 6/05)
* Flag of Republic of Macedonia Macedonia: 33 troops (2/07)(deployed 7/03)
* Flag of Kazakhstan Kazakhstan: 29 troops (2/07)(deployed 9/03)
* Flag of Moldova Moldova: 24 peak--12 current (2/07)(deployed 9/03)
* Flag of Bulgaria Bulgaria : 485 peak--155 current (2/07)(deployed 5/03)

TOTAL CURRENT DEPLOYMENT AS OF JUNE 2007
175,866 Regular Troops
~182,000 Private military contractors (118,000 Iraqi, 43,000 Other, 21,000 US)

NATO Training Mission – Iraq
For the list of countries involved with the NATO training mission see NATO NTM-I


* Flag of Italy Italy: 3,200 peak (deployed 7/03 - withdrawn 11/06)
* Flag of Ukraine Ukraine: 1,650 troops (deployed 8/03 - withdrawn 12/05)
* Flag of Netherlands Netherlands: 1,345 troops (deployed 7/03 - withdrawn 3/05)
* Flag of Spain Spain : 1,300 troops (deployed 4/03 - withdrawn 4/04)
* Flag of Japan Japan: 600 troops (deployed 1/04 - withdrawn 7/06)
* Flag of Thailand Thailand: 423 troops (deployed 8/03 - withdrawn 8/04)
* Flag of Honduras Honduras: 368 troops (deployed 08/03 - withdrawn 5/04)
* Flag of Dominican Republic Dominican Republic: 302 troops (withdrawn 5/04)
* Flag of Hungary Hungary: 300 troops (deployed 08/03 - withdrawn 3/05)
* Flag of Nicaragua Nicaragua: 230 troops (deployed 09/03 - withdrawn 2/04)
* Flag of Singapore Singapore: 192 troops (deployed 12/03 - withdrawn 3/05)
* Flag of Norway Norway: 150 troops (withdrawn 8/06)
* Flag of Portugal Portugal: 128 troops (deployed 11/03 - withdrawn 2/05)
* Flag of New Zealand New Zealand: 61 troops (deployed 9/03 - withdrawn 9/04)
* Flag of Philippines Philippines: 51 troops (deployed 7/03 - withdrawn 7/04)
* Flag of Tonga Tonga: 45 troops (deployed 7/04 - withdrawn 12/04)
* Flag of Iceland Iceland: 2 troops (deployed 5/03 - withdrawn date unknown)



* Multi-National Force - West– MNF-W is headquartered by the U.S. II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Fallujah, and is responsible for Al Anbar province. Other major bases include those at Al Asad, near Syria, and the provincal capital Ramadi.
* Multi-National Division - Baghdad – MND-Baghdad, also known as Task Force Baghdad, is headquartered by the 1st Cavalry Division and based near Baghdad International Airport. Other major bases include those at Taji and Iskandariyah, with 6+ smaller bases located throughout Baghdad.
* Multi-National Division - Central South – MND-CS is headquartered by the Polish military, which is based in Diwaniyah, and includes the cities of Kut, Hillah, and Karbala and Najaf.
* Multi-National Division - North – MND-North Central, also known as Task Force Lightning, is headquartered by the 25th Infantry Division based in Tikrit. Other major bases include Baqubah, Mosul and Kirkuk (also responsible for the city of Balad, the site of a major US Air Force Base and LSA Anaconda (see below).
* Multi-National Division (South-East) – MND-SE operates in the southernmost part of Iraq including the cities of Basra, An Nasiriyah (the site of Ali Air Base, controlled by the US Air Force), As Samawah, Al Amarah. The division is headquartered by elements of the British military, based at Basra airfield.
* Logistics Support Area Anaconda – located within the MND-North area of responsibility but under separate command. It is currently run by the U.S. 3rd Corps Support Command and is located near Nasiriyah. The facility includes USAF's Balad Air Base. 3rd COSCOM is responsible for providing logistic support and convoy security throughout the theater.

Answer 2

The countries that normally support the US are serving in Afghanistan. Mostly because it was a legit target in retaliation to 9/11

Iraq was a diversion to the war on terror that no one outside of a few countries wanted anything to do with. Most countries knew that nothing good would come out of this and were ridiculed as being cowards by the corporate US media for being right.
Even the Brits are getting out ASAP, mostly to shore up the NATO mission in Afghanistan. Turkey, the one Muslim country that should be a model for what other Muslim countries should aspire to, told the US not to do it. It was an invasion without any thought to consequence, which is why the US is doing this solo.

As a Canadian who served in Afghanistan, I voted for the Liberal Party after the Iraq invasion(only time that will ever happen) to thank my government for having the good sense to stay out of Iraq.

Good luck with Iraq, you're on your own which is unfortunate.

Answer 3

The fact of the matter is that we are "going it alone" is not an accurate description of the process. We are essentially going in without any major organ of international diplomacy. This is very different from Gulf War I (UN supported), Somalia (UN Supported), Kosovo (NATO and G8 supported), and Afghanistan (NATO supported). We do have a few other allies, but 92% of the Military deaths in Iraq have come from the U.S. If that isn't the most lopsided alliance or coalition in the history of the world, I don't know what is.

Answer 4

Indeed, other countries are offering support, but its minimalistic. The U.S. has supplied the greatest number of troops, but other than that, the only countries that have offered anything significant, are the U.K. and Australia(and its nowhere near that which the U.S. provides. Other countries generally have provided a few thousand troops at most, and many less than a thousand(while a thousand sounds significant, they truthfully do not matter) The only reason countries bother offering these minimalistic quantities is because they do not support our actions and want to stay on the U.S's good side.

Answer 5

We are most definitely not the only country in Iraq. The UK was with us for the first few years of the war. Some of you think you know that we're the only ones now but there are actually secretive Canadian and Australian units deployed in Iraq you DUMBA$$ES.

Answer 6

I like Mr.Bush very much but too much of everything is bad.
Bush has taken away many young lives, be it the Americans or the Iraqis. On the other hand he is the only president to face so much trouble which started right from 9/11.
Presently I think US efforts are really going in vain. I think its time to call it quits & invest more time to find out Osama in other parts of Asia. I don't wanna be precise it may pull me into a controversy.
Though India is supporting a lot but thats only for their own sake.

Answer 7

Well everyones finding out this is the next vietnam and no one wants to get sucked in. Theres England,turkey,Iran, iraq(is trying),South Korean, Poland,Italy,Australia. Now they have few troops but its still support

Answer 8

The left wing liberal loonies say things that are not true, trying to make the President look bad. As many as 60 allies.

Answer 9

Its more of a personal vendetta. The rest of the world knows to take care of their own problems before assisting in an unnecessry war.

Answer 10

We are alone because USA is clearly the only stupid country who thinks we should be there.