The Magnificent 37
In case you're wondering what other nations make up the 37-nation coalition of forces in Iraq cited by President Bush in his Oval Office speech, you may need a scorecard.
Moldova is in (12 troops), but Tonga is out. Bosnia & Herzegovina contributed as many as 37 soldiers in theater, but Slovakia and Hungary have pulled out. El Salvador has stayed, but Nicaragua has gone. Australia, yes; New Zealand, not so much. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, you betcha; Denmark and Norway, gone. Mongolia is in, but Ukraine is out. It appears that Kazahkstan's 29 troops, and Armenia's 46, are hanging in there, but Thailand has left the building. For more stats, there's always the Google.
All those troops' lives are, of course, as precious to their families, nations and Gods as are the lives of Americans serving in Iraq sacred to their kin and communities and Creators. So, too, though it may be hard for some to imagine, are Iraqi lives.
But when George W. Bush tries to bolster his case for a permanent US military presence in Iraq by citing the splendid international alliance he's mustered, you have to wonder whether what he really wants us to believe --and what he actually may believe himself -- is that the contributions he's strongarmed from Fiji, Albania et al are just as impressive as the 160,000 troops that his old man wrung from the likes of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and France.
Sometimes it's just too hard to suppress the suspicion that all of us are just bit players in a delusional son's deadly Oedipal psychodrama.
Follow Marty Kaplan on Twitter: www.twitter.com/martykaplan
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
These nations are 'with us' the way W was a 'partner' in owning that baseball team. So he respects them, no matter how effete and pointless the contribution.
On the other hand, don't forget that to a Bush Republican, those troops, like ours, are still just EMPLOYEES. The VA is an employee benefit. They're asking for better schedules. It's all just a management problem. Deaths are part of the job.
Like any CEO W's eye is not on the loss of employees' limbs, but on the value of the investment. Long term, owning Iraq still looks good to a few....rich....Republicans.
I can hardly stand to read or hear anything coming out of the States anymore. The stupidity and willful suspension of belief that it must take to allow such a dillusional moron to dictate the course of your nation is beyond comprehension. I honestly don't think there is another nation on earth that would allow itself to be f****d around by an incompetent, immoral leader the way you have. It has become pathetic. Talk show hosts, etc, were still joking around about inconsequential things and acting as though all is well and normal last night after yet another insanely insulting and frightening address from your president. What the f**k is wrong is wrong with your country? Is everyone that blind, brain-washed or just plain stupid that you can keep ignoring reason and tolerating the outrage your administration is committing not only on you, but the rest of us who are basically defenseless and powerless to do anything about. How long will it be before more "un-Americans" start seeing terrorists as freedom fighters? If you don't give a s**t about the rest of us on earth, at least do it for yourselves. Wake up and DO something! There is a growing International Coalition, but not the kind your dictator thinks he has.
We are like frogs basking in a pot of nice warm water. Comfy. And we'll be dead before we realize it wasn't a madman or an idiot who lit the fire under the pot in a fit of stupidity. You see, cooks know that frogs bring a good price when they are cooked right.
Why does anyone need to hear more than, "83% of Sunnis believe it's ok to target Americans"?
So... let's pull out. F'em.
Marty, I'm so far past suspending the suspicion. It would be an impossible task for anyone with common sense and critical thinking skills to believe the fantastic stories Bush spins to keep this perpetual war going.
Perhaps he got his "36 other countries" involved in the Iraqi war by counting people from the various countries that are working for First Kuwaiti, KBR/Halliburton, and other contracting firms.
You know, like the Filipinos who thought that they would be working in Dubai for the First Kuwaiti corporation, but after they boarded the plane, found out they were being taken (against their will) to Baghdad. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19214872//)
I have a feeling that if we parsed his exact statement, he wasn't necessarily talking about nations with fighting forces in Iraq. The black-market mercenaries and slave workers from poor countries probably count in his "coalition of the willing" today.
Bush remains what he has always been: a nasty little rat bastard punk who likes to pull the wings off flies.
Will someone please explain to me why Congress has to anything more ten refuse to pass a war funding appropriation? All Ms. Pelosi needs to do is refuse to let a funding bill come to the floor of the House and let existing funding expire unless the GOP and Bush agree to a time table for withdrawal. If Pelosi won't do this than there are enough anti-war legislators in the House to filibuster any legislation. These people could literally shut Congress down if they had the stomach to do it.
First Pelosi etal. will have to evolve a spine.
Bush and the repubs are willing to "go to the mattresses" over Iraq, Pelosi and the Dems aren't.
Can we please begin IMPEACHMENT proceedings today? Why are we being held hostage as an entire nation by this maniac from tx? Unless we begin IMPEACHMENT we all will simply have to react, respond and recoil at the appalling misuse of OUR government for the smallest segment who benefits from the prezidential tax cutting. This administration has raped our treasury, ruined our justice system, illegally invaded a sovereign nation in violation of international law and continuously LIES to our faces. We cannot let him get away with these "HIGH CRIMES & MISDEMEANORS". By the way - WHO SENT THE ANTHRAX? Let's end this reign of "BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID" AND RETURN TO our previous glory as a country. God damn this administration - God Bless America (and all living beings!) Peace
What have (anglo) Texans brought us in the last 45 years? Johnson's and Bush's. Is it any wonder the world keeps getting screwed by the u s?
I am new to the blog but feel the need to ask something of this community. Is there any other legal way as citizens wether nationally or internationally to bring war crimes against our leaders for this massacre of Iraq? I am not confident that writing our Congressmen and Congresswomen nor our Senators will bring about a solution to the atrocities of our leaders. Maybe there is an international lawyer among us that can shed some light. Please!
Tomorrow is the demonstration - COME ONE COME ALL - join those who do more than blog, come fill the streets with people who demand this war STOP NOW !!! Come to Washington and force the media and politicians to respond to our numbers ! We need you NOW.
Democrats have assessed GW Bush as: Crooked. Stupid. Moron. Sleazy.
Last night must have brought some nascent memories of Republican patriotism. Surely, now, some are shaking the wool off their eyes and thinging: This guy is insane.
Are WWI, WWII, Korea, VietNam, Grenada, the Gulf War, 9/11, Afghanistan and Bush's War veterans eyeing their morning coffee with a single question in their minds. "Whose side is George Bush on?"
Bush's War seems to be designed to create anti-Americans; cripple our natinal defense; destroy our military hardware; take out our Constitution; indebt us to the Chinese in perpetuity; and, leave the U.S. with a collosal hangover when he mercifully leaves office. He does intend to leave, doesn't he?
The Democrats can't clean out the Republican's barn. That is their job and it is time for them to remove Cheney-Bush, muzzle them, or force them to resign.
Americans have to find the best 'next president.' That won't be an easy job, but it's not impossible. The first step to healing Americans cowed by fear is to convince Al Gore that his work on the vital issue of Global Warming must be put in second place. In first place, we need him to step up to deal with the escalation of Mid-East religio-poltical tensions that GW Bush is pouring gasoline on in an attempt to jumpstart a global nuclear holocaust.
Why Al Gore? Because he is that rare being who has matured beyond political self-interest to become a seasoned, polished statesman with interest beyond personal power and petty political party loyalties. He has the gravitas, the demeanour and the class to be the U.S. President in times that are troubled beyond even the Cold War. Only Al Gore has the ability to form the kinds of national and international coalitions who can calm the immediate frenzy and 'create the political space' in which sensible intelligent leaders can grapple with the long-range solutions necessary for Americans, Iraqis, and the rest of the world's souls to live in some semblance of peace and prosperity.
Eisenhower was unfortunately right and I'm afraid the genie's been out of the bottle for some time. We will have some type of perpetual war for the foreseeable future. We've had either armed conflict or preparation for armed conflict ever since the end of World War II. Think about if for a momemt. The last time we had a lasting peace where military forces were not engaged somewhere were the years between 1918 and 1941. Whether it's Korea, VietNam, El Salvador (Grenada), Lebanon, Panama, Iraq I, Afghanistan, Iraq II, and the soon to be in a theater near you, Iran. We will be in combat somewhere. The war in Iraq is costing us about $1 Trillion dollars. Who do you think is making all the money?
The military industrial complex is too interwoven into the fabric of our government and society to do otherwise. War is a business, and a profitable one at that. Please see the terrific movie "Why We Fight" for details.
Titus, you forgot Somalia, Bosnia and Kosovo.
You read my mind! I was wondering about that very thing last night while watching Keith Olberman. (I can't physically watch Bush w/out being in a vomitorium.)
okay now, don't blame it all on Bush. How come he can say the troops will stay well beyond 2009. That tells me it is a done deal, we are not going to get out of Iraq. Look at the mess we are in this country, everyone is laying off,
no jobs, dollar falling, and only getting worse.
The war with Iran pending and yet, do you hear
anyone from the DEM Side putting a stop to this madness???? They are all insane besides Kucinich or Ron Paul and according to you have no chance to win the nomination.
Hillary is a neo-turd, I'm sure she has already committed to the Bush regime in exchange for them arranging her election.
37 Countries? I thought it was 37 total 'coalition' soldiers
CMON!! Give the guy some credit...37 Countries, 42 soldiers...
We must all ACT now to deal with Bush and his bullcrap. It starts by forewarning your elected officials - particularly those republican senators coming up for re-election. Here's my recent contribution :
Dear Senator Snowe,
Please let your voice be heard and join other responsible senators like John Warner in endorsing a real and orderly draw down of our troops in Iraq. The majority of Americans together with the rest of the world know that the administration waged war there to take control of Iraq's oil. The extreme cost of this seemingly endless conflict is bankrupting our nation (to say nothing of the human cost) and cannot be sustained. It is difficult to imagine what 1/2 trillion dollars could have done if invested in American technology - commercial fusion research, solar and geothermal research and development .....etc. Instead, we've invested in a horrible killing machine to secure the interests of murderous thugs such as those running our oil/gas industry and those running the morally bankrupt State of Israel. The cost to our relationships around the world, our national budget, and most importantly - our soldiers and their families has been tragic.
I've always admired your bipartisinship, courage, intelligence, and compassion. I would like to continue voting for your leadership as a fine representative of our state. But I fear that you may not survive the next election if you do not stand up for the common good on this most important issue. The citizens of Maine are counting on you to stand with other senators like John Warner and put us back on a sustainable course. Thank you.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
