Meanwhile, in other non-election news, that so-called “coalition” in Iraq continues to shrink.
Hungary announced Wednesday that it would withdraw its 300 troops from Iraq, becoming the latest country in United States-led coalition to bow to public pressure and prepare to bring its soldiers home.
Speaking at a ceremony for the end of military conscription, the newly appointed prime minister, Ferenc Gyurcsany, said Hungary was obliged to stay until the Iraqi elections scheduled for January, but would withdraw the troops by March.
“To stay longer is an impossibility,” said Mr. Gyurcsany.
It seems to be quite a trend. Spain withdrew its troops, quickly followed by the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica. The Philippines had a few troops who are now back home, while Norway and New Zealand had some military engineers who have since been pulled. More recently, “You forgot” Poland, the fourth largest contributor of troops, said it’s 2,400 troops are on the way out as well.
And the coalition isn’t done. Thailand is preparing to withdraw its 450 troops, while some countries, including Singapore, Moldova, and Bulgaria, each of which had contributed a small number of troops before, will be cutting their deployments even further.
It’s quite the coalition Bush has put together, isn’t it?