List of countries lending troops, money to postwar Iraq

Associated Press ^ | 10-23-03

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Oct 23, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Countries besides the United States that are lending assistance in postwar Iraq:

Troops

Albania - 71 non-combat troops to help with peacekeeping, based in northern Iraq.

Azerbaijan - 150-man unit to take part in patrols, law enforcement and protection of religious and historic monuments in Iraq.

Bulgaria - 485-member infantry battalion patrolling Karbala, south of Baghdad. An additional 289 will be sent.

Central America and the Caribbean - Dominican Republic (with 300 troops), El Salvador (360), Honduras (360) and Nicaragua (120) are assisting a Spanish-led brigade in south-central Iraq.

Czech Republic - 271 military personnel and three civilians running a field hospital in Basra; 25 military police in Iraq.

Denmark - 406 troops, consisting of light infantry units, medics and military police. An additional 90 soldiers are being sent.

Georgia - 69, including 34 special troops, 15 sappers and 20 medics.

Estonia - 55 soldiers, including mine divers and cargo handlers.

Hungary - 300-member transportation contingent in Iraq.

Italy - 3,000 troops in southern Iraq.

Moldova - Dozens of de-mining specialists and medics.

Netherlands - 1,106, including a core of 650 marines, three Chinook transport helicopters, a logistics team, a field hospital, a commando contingent, military police and a unit of 230 military engineers.

New Zealand - 61 army engineers assigned for reconstruction work in southern Iraq.

Norway - 156-member force includes engineers and mine clearers.

Philippines - 177 soldiers, police and medics.

Poland - 2,400 troops command one of three military sectors in Iraq.

Portugal - 120 police officers.

Romania - 800 military personnel, including 405 infantry, 149 de-mining specialists and 100 military police, along with a 56-member special intelligence detachment.

Slovakia - 82 military engineers.

South Korea - 675 non-combat troops with more forces on the way.

Spain - 1,300 troops, mostly assigned to police duties in south-central Iraq.

Thailand - 400 troops assigned to humanitarian operations.

Ukraine - 1,640 soldiers from a mechanized unit.

United Kingdom - 7,400, 1,200 more planned.

Other countries making troop contributions are Kazakhstan (27), Latvia (106), Lithuania (90) Macedonia (28). Details on these deployments were not available.

The United States is in discussions with 14 other countries about providing troops.

Economic reconstruction pledges for Iraq made prior to or during the Madrid conference:

Belgium - US$5-6 million for 2004

European Union - US$230 million for 2004

Iran - offered to provide electricity and gas

Japan - US$1.5 billion the first year and is considering a medium-term package for presentation at Madrid

Philippines - US$1 million

South Korea - US$200 million over four years in addition to US$60 million committed this year

Spain - US$300 million for 2004-07

Sweden - US$32.7 million for 2004-05

United Kingdom - US$900 million for three years, including money contributed since April

World Bank - US$3-5 billion over five years.

[CWOJackson]

Add Singapore for troops.

[ZULU]

I think the U.S. should be doing everything it can to elevate and assist those nations which provide us with even the smallest amount of assistance in this difficult situation.

Perhaps we can get together a coalition of nations which appreciate freedom, are willing to help those third world nations struggling towards democracy, and can be used to counter our vicious enemies, the French and Germans, new demons which have arisen with the Jihadists and whose antics will make any rational actions by NATO and the UN even less likely than they have been in the past. Who knows, we might even be able to pry the Russians away from the French and Germans. I think Putin is far more amenable to rational appeals and offers of economic assistance than the vicious ingrates of France and Germany.

We should do everything possible to isolate, neutralize and destroy those two nations, and the third world dictatorships in alliance with them.

[archy]

I think Putin is far more amenable to rational appeals and offers of economic assistance than the vicious ingrates of France and Germany.

The Russians certainly are busy enough with their own difficulties with the Chechnyan jihadists, including the dukhai Fedayeen volunteers from assorted other muslum countries. Wouldn't it be a fine reciprocation to have a small force of Russians added to the joint force in Iraq, to be balanced by some coalition augmentation of the Russian forces in Chechnya.

And I bet there are plenty of German and French troops who'd gladly join in; I don't mistake the weaknesses or perfidy of their governments for a flaw in their troops or their military leadership.

[archy]

75 or so volunteers from the Free Republic of...Free Republic.

I'm ready!

Got your shoulder patch sewn on yet? Oh man, cutting the stencil for that jobby is gonna be a headache....

[archy]

...and, of course, we're going to need a guidon....

[kidd]

Israel and Egypt are the two biggest recipients of US foreign aid. Neither of them are on the list.

If I recall, Canada has some small Naval involvement - something like transportation or medical support. They are not in harm's way to the best of my knowledge.

[ZULU]

"The Russians certainly are busy enough with their own difficulties with the Chechnyan jihadists, including the dukhai Fedayeen volunteers from assorted other muslum countries."

The threat of Islamic extremists to Orthodox Russia is certainly even greater than to the U.S. - at least so far.

"And I bet there are plenty of German and French troops who'd gladly join in; I don't mistake the weaknesses or perfidy of their governments for a flaw in their troops or their military leadership."

Perhaps. However, based on public opinion polls France is a lost cause - this nation of ingrates hates us to the core, and they have a long history of anti-American activities - after all, to them we are just another version of L'Anglais.

Things may not be as dire in Germany as there is still a sizable number of Germans who have positive feelings about the U.S. and may still resent France for their past actions against Germany. However, as long as the current crop of Schweinhunden are in office in Germany, there is no hope for any assistance from the Vaterland.

[struwwelpeter]

I found some more volunteers from Ukraine!

[lawdude]

"Norway - 156-member force includes engineers and mine clearers. "

Ya, but they use Swedes as the mine clearers!

[archy]

I found some more volunteers from Ukraine! You know what Napoleon said about an outfit travelling on its stomach. We've got us a tough messhall crew, we do....

[no problems if they have to do a little foraging, though. Hey, it's about time for Kyshka; hope cook-serjeant has a good recipes ]

[archy]

Norway - 156-member force includes engineers and mine clearers. "

Ya, but they use Swedes as the mine clearers!

A thousin' Sweeds cut through the weeds,
Being chased by vun Norwegian....

[cardinal4]

If so, isn't it still our money?

Technically, yes. But I can live with it. Im going to print this list up and show it to a few of the lefties at work who think our unilateralism alienated a lot of other nations. Go it alone indeed!

[archy]

And get those little gold leaves off your collars, and pin these on....

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Are you recruiting?

I'm interested, seriously.

The FreeRepublic Free Company sings, don't it?

But I can't do it for free.

[archy]

Are you recruiting?

I'm interested, seriously.

The FreeRepublic Free Company sings, don't it?

But I can't do it for free.

I'd hardly expect a professional soldier to give away their talent for nothing. I don't know what something along those lines would run, but some of the security jobs in Afghanistan and Iraq have been paying pretty good.

It'd be necessary to build a TO&E and OOB for such an organization first, of course, then equip and train it. But though my tongue is firmly in cheek about the liklihood of it coming to pass, the last time I made similar cracks about the Russians in Chechnya, I got invited to come to the ball with them. The paperwork has been submitted, my passport and shot record is up to date, and we'll see what happens.

But it would indeed be an interesting NGO, particularly if the right linguistic skills were matched with some prior service folks who knew what they were doing.

-archy-/-

[Consort]

Correct me if I'm wrong.......................

If so, isn't it still our money?

If we give money to another country (if we give anything to another country), it is not ours any more.

Also, the lives of those foreign troops are on the line, as well. Does that matter to you?

[SamiGirl]

"Schweinhunden" -- LOL. You're right, that's exactly what they are.

[halfdome]

Where were the Canadian troops we bombed? I thought they were in Iraq, but maybe it was Afghanistan. They were definitely in harm's way.

[kidd]

It was on a training range near Kandahar, Afghanistan

[halfdome]

Thanks.