Poland
Poor Dubya - after featuring Poland so prominently in his answers to John Kerry in their debate, it turns out that Poland plans to withdraw its troops in 2005. That's gotta sting... they were part of a BROAD, MULTINATIONAL COALITION! Who would have thought that an alliance of such powerful nations would find it so difficult to gain popular support in Iraq... 80% of the populace in Poland want their troops to be brought home.
Kerry understated the contributions of numerous countries in the debate - but he was 100% right in pointing out how much of the burden falls on America. When 90% of the cost and casualties fall on the shoulders of one aspect of a coalition, it's pretty obvious that it's not the most broad of agreements. America is one aspect, there are currently thirty-ish members of the coalition. Just look at the disparity in troop contribution:
It just gets worse from there. And yet the US administration would have it that it is a powerful coalition - a posse of brave cowboys ready to take on the evils in Iraq. Really, it's more like one out-of-control psychotic supervillan supported by a handful of stupid but well-meaning henchmen. Claiming there are only three countries involved in Iraq (as Kerry did in the debates) is disrespectful of the fact that individuals from many other countries have given their life for The Lie. He has also referred to the coalition as one of the 'bribed, bullied, and coerced'. That also fails to correctly identify the motivations of a number of participants. But Jesus, surely with everything else about the case for war in Iraq being shown as smoke and mirrors, we can finally acknowledge that this isn't World War II, and the coalition are not the noble Allies engaged with the brutal, warmongering Axis.
Kerry understated the contributions of numerous countries in the debate - but he was 100% right in pointing out how much of the burden falls on America. When 90% of the cost and casualties fall on the shoulders of one aspect of a coalition, it's pretty obvious that it's not the most broad of agreements. America is one aspect, there are currently thirty-ish members of the coalition. Just look at the disparity in troop contribution:
- United States: 112,000
- United Kingdom: 8,300
- Italy: 2,800
- Poland: 2,350
It just gets worse from there. And yet the US administration would have it that it is a powerful coalition - a posse of brave cowboys ready to take on the evils in Iraq. Really, it's more like one out-of-control psychotic supervillan supported by a handful of stupid but well-meaning henchmen. Claiming there are only three countries involved in Iraq (as Kerry did in the debates) is disrespectful of the fact that individuals from many other countries have given their life for The Lie. He has also referred to the coalition as one of the 'bribed, bullied, and coerced'. That also fails to correctly identify the motivations of a number of participants. But Jesus, surely with everything else about the case for war in Iraq being shown as smoke and mirrors, we can finally acknowledge that this isn't World War II, and the coalition are not the noble Allies engaged with the brutal, warmongering Axis.
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