Breaking on CNN: Italy to withdraw all troops from Iraq,

[babylonsister]

3,000 of them, by September.

[iconoclastNYC]

1. Another Victory for the Bush Administration.

[calimary]

18. Another notch on the bedpost for the "Coalition of the Wilting."

Italy was one of the staunchest ones behind the Brits and don't-forget-Poland. Wonder who bails out, next? And does this mean Contradicta will cancel her visits to Italy from here on - to punish them for their disobedience?

[iconoclastNYC]

19. Yes, she's picking out scarier boots right now.

And she has the riding crop ready. Mistress Condolencia is ready to make you submit!

[AntiCoup2K4]

2. Isn't that pretty much the end of the "Coalition of the Shilling"??

Other than Poodle, of course.

[Skip Intro]

5. Don't forget POLAND!

[SpiralHawk]

17. And the birth of the "Coalition of the Drilling"

No wimpy humanitarian concerned nations need apply. Only those who are serious about Drilling Oil and helping to make Massive MegaBucks for BushCo & Halliburton Oil Cronies, Inc.

It's a lot simpler that way.

[kaitykaity]

3. That'll teach Negroponte not to try to assassinate

any more Italian reporters.

lol.

[jasmeel]

4. Don't forget Poland! n/t

[DrGonzoLives]

6. Clearly, Italy must be a terrorist state

As long as they give Florence to me, I'll support the coming invasion.

[cthrumatrix]

11. everyone clearly hates freedom

[Career Prole]

7. SEE YOU! (in September)

While in shrub's Amerika it might be considered good sport to shoot at a reporter for a communist paper, in Italy it's still frowned on.

"Whattya mean?! I still have a good coalition! There's the Army, and the Marines...does National Guard count as Army or as another coalition member? Help me out here, Unca Dick..."

[BrklynLiberal]

ooooops. Another one bites the dust.

[Just Me]

8. The PM's power is threatened.

This is no surprise.

I do wonder if he'll still retain power, though.

[TlalocW]

9. Why the hell are these countries so nice?

Why is Italy waiting until September? Just have their troops pack up all their stuff and get the hell out of there. Couldn't take longer than a couple of weeks if they haul ass. If Bush squawks, Italy can just say that they're inspired by his "just do it" attitude that he's used to piss off the rest of the world.

TlalocW

[BrklynLiberal]

13. True. If my child, brother, father is killed in Iraq between now and Sept

I would be truly pissed at the Italian govt. The people should be demanding immediate withdrawal.

[babylonsister]

16. Perhaps they're giving the blivet

some time to get that draft cranked up.

[onehandle]

10. No, they will START withdrawing in September (Link)

ROME - Premier Silvio Berlusconi said Tuesday that Italy will start withdrawing its 3,000 troops in Iraq in September, Italian news agencies reported.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050315/ap_on_re_eu/italy_iraq_1

[proud patriot]

12. I wonder if that will help the PM of Italy

:shrug:

[ET Awful]

14. To repeat what I just said about another newsbite

HA HA

[Scurrilous]

15. Don't forget Holland or the Ukraine...

Dutch and Ukrainians leave Iraq

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4350213.stm

<snip>

"Two members of the US-led coalition in Iraq have begun their phased withdrawals from the country.

About 150 Dutch troops arrived back in their country on Monday, while a similar number of Ukrainians were expected home on Tuesday."

<snip>

"There are still about 800 Dutch soldiers in Iraq. They are expected to leave over the next month.

Two Dutch soldiers have died over the course of their involvement in Iraq.

Ukraine, which has lost 17 servicemen, is due to complete its withdrawal by 15 October.

The first of its 1,600 returning troops - who have been serving in the Polish command area south-east of Baghdad - were due to land in the city of Nikolayev on Tuesday."

[ElectroPrincess]

20. Damn, not the Dutch!?!

How many Dutch folk we use to have in Iraq? G

I'm guessing, perhaps a whole Company? :evilgrin:



Awe, on edit - Tks
Here we go:

US: 150,000
UK: 8,000
South Korea: 3,600
Italy: 3,085
Poland: 1,700
Ukraine: 1,600
Georgia: 898
Romania: 730
Japan: 550
Denmark: 496
Bulgaria: 450
Australia: 400

Source: Global Security