White House Plays Down Iraq Coalition Withdrawals

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040420/pl_nm/iraq_usa_coalition_dc&cid=615&ncid=1480

<snip>
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the Bush administration hoped a new United Nations (news - web sites) resolution for Iraq would help encourage other nations to participate on the ground in providing security and reconstruction assistance.

"The coalition in Iraq is strong and their resolve is firm," McClellan told reporters traveling with President Bush (news - web sites) to Buffalo, New York.

In Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) said he had talked to the foreign minister or head of government of almost every other country in the coalition in the last 24 hours.


"And I'm getting solid support for our efforts, commitments to remain and finish the job that they came to do," he told reporters.

[Mikimouse]

1. Sure Colin, whatever you say...

How much more did you have to offer in bribes and future contracts to accomplish this? You lying POS!

[daleo]

2. Withdrawals and coalition of the willing

"Coalition partners", Bushco said, "only get two free withdrawals per month. After that we start charging. Deposits, on the other hand, are always free. Maintaining a balance of 1000 soldiers for an entire year wins them a free toaster."

[jburton]

4. kick n/t

[Hand]

3. Yep...

No doubt Micronesia and Palau are still holding firm... Colon, you LSOS! The rats are deserting the sinking ship and so should you!

But NOOOO-ooo... arsehole.

:mad:

[peterh]

5. Parsing words….

Yahoo says Powell got “solid” support…..Dow Jones says….

Faced with a diminishing coalition, Secretary of State Colin Powell telephoned
leaders of 13 countries Monday and Tuesday and generally received promises that
their force commitments will be honored, State Department spokesman Richard
Boucher said.


Was it solid? Was it generally solid? Or was it just generally understood on one end of the line that the support is there?

[Qanisqineq]

6. Let me get this straight

McClellan says the coalition is strong, but aren't Spain and Honduras pulling out ASAP, Poland by the end of the year, Thailand possibly? I swear there was another country thinking about it. Plus, Nicaragua never replaced their troops (I just read that here: http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2004/0420/3783682793HM1SCALLY.html)