As well as the Georgians recently leaving for obvious reasons what is happening with the rest of the Coalition of the willing.
In UK Daily Telegraph (right wing and with good links to Military establishment) is running a story with saying UK forces will be down from 4,500 to a "few hundred" by mid 2009.
Majority of British troops out of Iraq by spring
More on Brits and others below the fold.
The Telegraph has a reputation for good sources in the Military and sometimes these stories have been sourced from the Military saying what they want to happen not what will happen:
Just a few hundred soldiers will remain after spring 2009 effectively bringing to an end this country’s involvement in Iraq after six years of fighting.
The Ministry of Defence insisted the move was backed by the US which it said is "intimately involved" in discussions about the British withdrawal.
There are still currently more than 4,000 British troops stationed in southern Iraq despite pledges from the Prime Minister that numbers would have reduced by now. Mr Brown has been careful over the past few months not to put a timetable on British withdrawal but sources gave the clearest indication yet that our involvement is poised to end.
The Iraqis are now close to agreeing a deal with the Americans - which could see all US soldiers leave within three years starting next summer.
Major Gen Barney White-Spunner, who has just completed a six month tour in charge of the British force in southern Iraq, said that Gordon Brown’s hope for a "fundamental mission change" in Iraq would now be able to "take place next year".
Rather than trying to deny the story or tone it down Gen Barney White-Spunner, (what a name) has just been on both BBC Radio and TV talking about the end of his deployment, how Basra is now safe and how we can now leave, while a military training mission of a few hundred may remain there are training missions in dozens of countries.
Senior sources have said that it was now "fairly clear" that there would be a "pretty major reduction in troops" in Iraq early next year.
"We have achieved what we set out to achieve in Iraq," an official military source said. "So it is possible to envisage a mission next year which is in the early hundreds".
The Prime Minister has left any withdrawal of British troops from Iraq with military planners. He had previously promised a substantial reduction in manning levels when he was considering holding a snap election last autumn in a move which was criticised for political opportunism.
However, Major Gen White-Spunner said that a bilateral arrangement was being discussed with the Iraqis that would include a "military training element".
"Bear in mind next year there is going to be a big change in the American mission," the general said.
Interesting quote re the the American mission looks like our General assumes President Obama from January.
Politics in the UK background has Prime Minister Brown deeply unpopular but no need for an election till July 2010, all the boys home in 2009 would be good news.
Meanwhile what is happening with the rest.
well latest from Wiki is:
USA 175,000
UK 4500
Georgia 0 0.0%
Poland 900 30.1% leaving by October 2008
South Korea 500 16.7% leaving by end 2008
Romania 397 13.3%
El Salvador 280 9.4%
Albania 215 7.2%
Bugaria 155 5.2%
Mongolia 99 3.3%
Azerbijan 88 2.9%
Czech Republic 65 2.2% but reduction to 20 underway
Tonga 55 1.8%
Armenia 46 1.5%
Macedonia 40 1.3%
Ukraine 37 1.2%
Estonia 35 1.2%
Bosnia 30 1.0%
Khazakhstan 29 1.0%
Moldova 11 0.4%
Latvia 7 0.2%
2989
So if the Georgians have gone the largest other commitment is the Poles, the Government elected last year is committed to get out, the President wanted to stay the compromise was they would stay till October this year and the withdrawl starts next month.
Korea has agreed in their Parliament that this will be the last year and they have never held a combat role anyway.
Notice anything about the rest, mainly ex Soviet wanting protection from "Mother Russia", having seen how much Bush actually did to help Georgia, how many are going to be willing to continue if there is no sign of a benefit when they need it?