U.S. Insists Iraq Coalition Still Strong (cites Mongolia and El Salvador?)

[papau]

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-iraq-bush.html

U.S. Insists Iraq Coalition Still Strong (cites Mongolia and El Salvador as proof)
By REUTERS

Published: July 15, 2004
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States insisted on Thursday its coalition in Iraq remained strong despite the Philippines' decision to withdraw its 51 troops and pointed to Mongolia (130 troops) and El Salvador (380 troops) as evidence of its strength.

The Philippines, which has a hostage under a death threat, was set to join Spain, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Honduras as countries that have pulled out of what once was a 34-nation coalition that large countries France and Germany refused to join.

The withdrawals suggested serious cracks in a coalition that has become a U.N.-sanctioned multinational force set up to help provide security in Iraq before elections in January, and appeared to undermine President Bush's frequent statements that Iraq has plenty of international backing.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan pointed to Mongolia's continued presence in the coalition as evidence of its strength, as well as Australia's decision to send more troops and El Salvador's proposal to extend its 380 troops in Iraq for up to another year.<snip>

[htuttle]

1. I didn't realize Mongolia was still a country

I though China had annexed it, for some reason...:shrug:

[papau]

3. A bit of history below -

Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A Communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Over the next four years, the DUC put forward a number of key reforms to modernize the economy and to democratize the political system. The former Communists were a strong opposition that stalled additional restructuring and made implementation difficult. In 2000, the MPRP won an overwhelming victory in the legislature - with 72 of the 76 seats - and completely reshuffled the government.

[htuttle]

5. Thanks!

My pathetic US public school education had a few blind spots...

[DarkPhenyx]

4. And thank God we have them on our side.

We all know how vicious those Mongolian yaks can be.

[democrat_patriot]

8. Ha Ha LOL

Kevlar plated attack-yaks?

[papau]

2. Sorry I am late posting this - but I had to stop laughing before I could

type and cut and paste and edit.

LOL

LMAO

LOL

It will be fun to see if Fox runs with this (oh, I know they will - but it will still be a laugh!)

:toast:

:-)

[Jacobin]

6. but but but, don't we still have Iceland?

[TrogL]

7. You can't make this shit up

hee hee hee