While the US has been having an election the events in the rest of the world has been moving on but not having much coverage. One of the issues which has been having some coverage is the Status of Forces Agreement between the US and Iraq, which has to be agreed before Dec 31, 2008 (while Bush is still POTUS) as the UN Resolution which authorises troops there expires.
The same issue applies to the rest of the "Coalition" so what have they been doing: join me after the fold.
Well countries have been drifting away from the coalition since 2004 but actually the position was pretty stable in 2007-8.
Several countries were major allies and felt obliged to take part. They had real forces at the level of Brigade or Division i.e. in the Thousands say the Dutch or Italians both gone by 2006.
Several countries were traditional contributors to UN peacekeeping forces and were sold the 2003 line that there would be a peace to keep the war was over at the "Mission Accompolished" moment and they would recieve some gratitude from the US, several quickly went home as Iraq disintigrated in 2003-4.
The reminder were ex-Soviet States nervous about a future powerful Russia and building up good will with the US.
Well between January 2007 and Aug 2008 or 20 months the only withdrawal was the Latvians with 50 troops going in mid 2007.
So what has happened since August.
Georgia: Understandably all 2000 gone home in respose to the little trouble with Russia.
Poland: had forces (a few there on day 1) peaked at 2,500 and control of several provinces and a multinational Division, everybody went home by 31st October 2008.
Armenia: all home October 2008
Khasakhstan: all home October 2008
Mongolia: all home 2008
last 3 only around 100 each but still they stuck around for 4 years and all left at the same time in the last few weeks.
OK so who else is going this side of Christmas, and that UN Resoloution expiry.
South Korea: has drifted down from a few thousand troops to 600 and they have confirmed recently they are sticking to their published timetable of everyone home by December 2008.
Romania: until recently talking about staying till 2011, announced on November 5 that all 515 troops would be withdrawn before end of 2008.
Bulgaria: 155 troops and on November 6 announced all forces will be withdrawn by the end of this year.
Did something happen somewhere on November 4th?
Moldova: On October 15 announced everybody home by the end of the year.
Estonia: Recently announced everyone home late 2008 or very early 2009.
UK: at present the second biggest force at 4,400 and more than 50% of all non-US forces, trying to negotiate it's own status of Forces agreement. Initially had planned to simply piggy back on a US agreement but as that does not yet exist they are having to negotiate in paralel with the US and the Iraqi's. Timescale for withdrawal well both Iraqi government and UK talking about "Vast-majority" of force gone very early in 2009. Speculation of a 50-200 trainers to work with the Iraqi's.
Ok so who does that leave:
Well with more than 100 troops and stll there in 2009:
Australia: The new Prime-Minister Rudd elected in late 2007 pledged to withdraw COMBAT Troops from Iraq, and they left in July 2008, but that leaves 300 (110 protecting their embassy, 100+ as part of a joint logistic operation, around 90 as laison officers scattered throughout Iraq). australia may be surprised to find they may soon have the second largest force in Iraq after the US.
El-Salvador: force has dropped from 380 to 200, had been embedded with the now withdrawn Polish force. No announcement of withdrawl yet.
Albania: 240 troops ironically one of very few countries who have increased forces. They increased from 120 to 240 in September 2008 allegedly after US agreement to allow Albania to join NATO in July 2008!
and well that's it
a further few countries have 10-50 troops to justify a flag on the Multinational website or the Pentagon headed notepaper but realistically that is their only role.
Who will be last to go? Any Aussies out there surprised to find PM Rudd supporting the second largest force in Iraq sometime soon?
For more info see Wiki
Multi-National force in Iraq