Bulgarian media reports today that Bulgaria will withdraw its approximately 450 troops from Iraq at the end of the year.
Defence Minister Svniarov has stated that the friendly fire killing of a Bulgarian soldier by US soldiers a few weeks ago had nothing to do with the decision to withdraw.
The coalition of the willing has placed Bulgaria between the devil and the deep blue sea since the beginning. With the US on one side and EU heavyweights France and Germany on the other, the Bulgarian government has been trying to keep in the good graces of all.
While the government in Sofia joined the coalition, it has not been a lackey to Washington. The Bulgarian government angered Washington by supporting the EU position on the International Criminal Court and refusing to sign a bilateral agreement with the US that would give US soldiers immunity from prosecution in the ICC. Bulgaria's refusal put it on Washington's blacklist and cost the country some $10-20 million in military assistance.