to vote for Bush is to share in his depravity

[julianpenrod]

Julian Penrod

4 Fairfield Avenue

West Caldwell, New Jersey 07006

(973) 220-1601

julianpenrod@comcast.net

October 30, 2006

Letter to the Editor

Dear sirs:

The lying and the deceitful, essentially, are attempting to create an alternative for reality, one that serves only their selfish, malignant demands. But reality is a big thing, and there are few, if any, cases of someone successfully creating their own universe. For this reason, the assertions of the deceitful tend to strongly and aggressively disagree with the obvious and valid. Because of this, hypocrisy is one of the most reliable indications of the presence of malignant machination.

Increasingly, the Bush Administration, and every quisling associated with it, is developing a reputation for unabashed connivery, insincerity, untrustworthiness and out and out contempt for the public. There is no one associated with the administration who seems not to have a track record of wholesale duplicity and fraud.

Such as Press Secretary Tony Snow cravenly trying to downplay Representative Robert Foley trying to proposition pubescent male pages by characterizing it as "an older man having a relationship with a younger man"!

Or Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld countering five years of administration policy by recommending, in his desperately defensive press conference last week, that every armed Iraqi militia "has to be either disarmed or be a part of government". This is in stark contrast to the apparently Tel Aviv funded view that Hezbollah be completely disarmed and never allowed to be part of Lebanese government.

Unsurprisingly, though, the greatest degree of deceit, insincerity and hypocrisy should be associated with the chief architect of the abomination now in charge of Washington, George Bush. It is evident in his denunciation of Saddam Hussein by saying "any nation that operates in secret cannot be trusted", yet having his own administration set the gold standard for cloaked and subversive machinations. Or his condemning Hussein for supposedly putting out a hit on George H. W. Bush, while, at the same time, having his own press secretary, Ari Fleischer, recommend that the Iraqi people assassinate their leader, saying, "All it takes is one bullet." It is evident in his claim that the generals in Iraq decide policy, then making a slip of the tongue only a few weeks ago, admitting that he is the one who decides the handling of the war. It is also apparent in his constant desperate bleat that his policies "represent the will of the American people" while simultaneously insisting that he "never plans his policy by polls". Polls are supposed to be the will of the people! Bush seems to feel that it should be the other way around, that his policies reflect the feelings of the people because he has browbeat and psychotically pressured them into accepting his lunacy!

The administration evidently lied about Iraq possessing dangerous weapons systems, for the purpose of both stealing their resources and funneling taxpayer dollars to crooked administration cronies in the form of "contractor costs". They support the uncontrolled filtering of criminals into the country to steal jobs from Americans. He conducted secret meetings to connive selling American port operations to a foreign nation, for them to profit at Americans' expense!

There is a fundamental point behind this, however. Those who support the administration either by word or vote support both the administration's policies but also the aggressive malignance behind those policies. Because the administration is evidently working only for their own corrupt profit, and lying to the public about their actions, their policies are synonymous with cravenness, deceit and thievery! And those who support the president are admitting that they are sanguine with that deception and the very principle of thuggery and collusion to rape the public! When someone votes for Bush, that is what they are doing, condoning the rape of the "rank and file" and acknowledging that they would do the same, if they have even a fraction of a chance! For too long, those who harbored contempt for their fellows inflicted their perversity on the world through their support for those equally as vicious and malevolent, in positions of power, but they paid no price for the damage their disdain for ethic brought about. Admitting the viciousness of such individuals and denying them the trust they never earned is crucial if they are to be prevented from further butchering the world to express their own depravity! Those who know them and their proclivity to support the unprincipled and conniving have only themselves to blame if they choose to trust them after this display of unethicality and willing duplicity on their part! This election is one way to find that out and should be used that way.

Julian Penrod

[Atheist God]

Well no one can vote for Bush because he can't be president for a third term....

[supercar]

If you think the Iraq war is soley George Bush's doing,you are wrong. There are 21 countries besides the United States with 16,000 combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Are all those countries 'depraved'? Nope.

Before the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan could commence,the United States Congress had to approve the action. The Congress voted and approved the action. Is the United States Congress 'depraved'? Nope.

Congress is also responsible for raising funds to pay for the war. If they wanted the war to end,Congress could simply vote to end funding for the war.

[Lone Ranger]

Julian Penrod

4 Fairfield Avenue

West Caldwell, New Jersey 07006

(973) 220-1601

julianpenrod@comcast.net

October 30, 2006

Letter to the Editor

Dear sirs:

The lying and the deceitful, essentially, are attempting to create an alternative for reality, one that serves only their selfish, malignant demands. But reality is a big thing, and there are few, if any, cases of someone successfully creating their own universe. For this reason, the assertions of the deceitful tend to strongly and aggressively disagree with the obvious and valid. Because of this, hypocrisy is one of the most reliable indications of the presence of malignant machination.

Increasingly, the Bush Administration, and every quisling associated with it, is developing a reputation for unabashed connivery, insincerity, untrustworthiness and out and out contempt for the public. There is no one associated with the administration who seems not to have a track record of wholesale duplicity and fraud.

Such as Press Secretary Tony Snow cravenly trying to downplay Representative Robert Foley trying to proposition pubescent male pages by characterizing it as "an older man having a relationship with a younger man"!

Or Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld countering five years of administration policy by recommending, in his desperately defensive press conference last week, that every armed Iraqi militia "has to be either disarmed or be a part of government". This is in stark contrast to the apparently Tel Aviv funded view that Hezbollah be completely disarmed and never allowed to be part of Lebanese government.

Unsurprisingly, though, the greatest degree of deceit, insincerity and hypocrisy should be associated with the chief architect of the abomination now in charge of Washington, George Bush. It is evident in his denunciation of Saddam Hussein by saying "any nation that operates in secret cannot be trusted", yet having his own administration set the gold standard for cloaked and subversive machinations. Or his condemning Hussein for supposedly putting out a hit on George H. W. Bush, while, at the same time, having his own press secretary, Ari Fleischer, recommend that the Iraqi people assassinate their leader, saying, "All it takes is one bullet." It is evident in his claim that the generals in Iraq decide policy, then making a slip of the tongue only a few weeks ago, admitting that he is the one who decides the handling of the war. It is also apparent in his constant desperate bleat that his policies "represent the will of the American people" while simultaneously insisting that he "never plans his policy by polls". Polls are supposed to be the will of the people! Bush seems to feel that it should be the other way around, that his policies reflect the feelings of the people because he has browbeat and psychotically pressured them into accepting his lunacy!

The administration evidently lied about Iraq possessing dangerous weapons systems, for the purpose of both stealing their resources and funneling taxpayer dollars to crooked administration cronies in the form of "contractor costs". They support the uncontrolled filtering of criminals into the country to steal jobs from Americans. He conducted secret meetings to connive selling American port operations to a foreign nation, for them to profit at Americans' expense!

There is a fundamental point behind this, however. Those who support the administration either by word or vote support both the administration's policies but also the aggressive malignance behind those policies. Because the administration is evidently working only for their own corrupt profit, and lying to the public about their actions, their policies are synonymous with cravenness, deceit and thievery! And those who support the president are admitting that they are sanguine with that deception and the very principle of thuggery and collusion to rape the public! When someone votes for Bush, that is what they are doing, condoning the rape of the "rank and file" and acknowledging that they would do the same, if they have even a fraction of a chance! For too long, those who harbored contempt for their fellows inflicted their perversity on the world through their support for those equally as vicious and malevolent, in positions of power, but they paid no price for the damage their disdain for ethic brought about. Admitting the viciousness of such individuals and denying them the trust they never earned is crucial if they are to be prevented from further butchering the world to express their own depravity! Those who know them and their proclivity to support the unprincipled and conniving have only themselves to blame if they choose to trust them after this display of unethicality and willing duplicity on their part! This election is one way to find that out and should be used that way.

Julian Penrod

Propaganda from the Dems

There has been no more terror attacks but God forbid if Hitliary or another Democrap gets elected....That would be scary...The President said from the beginning it would be a long haul and everyone including the Dems backed him, Now they are being 2 faced as usual....

[Mekorig]

If you think the Iraq war is soley George Bush's doing,you are wrong. There are 21 countries besides the United States with 16,000 combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Are all those countries 'depraved'? Nope.

List of nations in the Coalition

Original supporters of the effort

Enlarge

Original supporters of the effort

Countries currently with forces in Iraq

Enlarge

Countries currently with forces in Iraq

[edit] More than 100,000 soldiers

* Flag of United States United States - As of October, 2006, there were around 141,000 Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps personnel in West, North and Central Iraq [6]. As of 28 October, 2006 2,811 American military personnel from every branch of the US military have been killed in Iraq: 2,262 in engagements and ambushes (assault rifle and sniper fire; RPG, Katyusha and mortar attacks; the shooting down of several helicopters and a jet; but mostly roadside bombings) as well as vehicle accidents which occurred as a result of hostile fire. 551 were killed in non-hostile incidents including a small number of drownings, illnesses, electrocutions etc, but mostly accidental vehicle crashes and weapon discharges. At least 21,266 American military personnel have been wounded in action. One soldier, Matt Maupin, was kidnapped after an attack on his convoy on April 9, 2004 and remains missing.[7][8] Another soldier, an Iraq-American, was kidnapped on October 24, 2006 while visiting Baghdad and also remains missing [9].

[edit] More than 1,000 soldiers

* Flag of United Kingdom United Kingdom - 7,200 troops in Iraq as of August 23rd 2006; also commanding a number of other coalition troops throughout the southeastern provinces. After the invasion, approximately 8,300 troops were stationed in the south of the country, but 800 were withdrawn in May 2006.[10] About 1,300 more are stationed in The Persian Gulf region. Prime Minister Tony Blair had considered an expansion of up to 2,000 troops to replace the troops of Spain and other departing nations. However, military commanders as well as former diplomats criticizing US military tactics put this into question. On the 6th of September 2006, the Ministry of Defence declared that 360 additional soldiers would be sent to Iraq temporarily to reinforce security during the upcoming six-monthly rotation, and that they would be withdrawn 'no later than January'.[11] The British forces command the Multi-National Division (South East) which consists of forces from several other countries. The deployment includes infantry, mechanised infantry and armoured units as well as water-borne patrol personnel and a range of aircraft. The UK has lost 120 soldiers in Iraq: 89 in ambushes, engagements or other attacks (including the shooting down of a C-130 Hercules transport plane which killed 10 soldiers). Out of the remaining 31, the cause of death included accidents, friendly fire, illnesses, and suicide. See also: Operation Telic (operational name for the UK's involvement in Iraq) for further information on the British contribution.

* Flag of Australia Australia - Australia's contribution to the 'Iraqi Theatre' officially comes under Operation Catalyst and consists of approximately 1,500 military personnel in and around Iraq. (See also: Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq) The largest contribution is a battle group contingent of approximately 450 troops initially deployed on February 22, 2005 replacing 1250 Dutch personnel. This contingent was previously the Al Muthanna Task Group but now is the Overwatch Battle Group (West)). Further deployments include; 500 personnel stationed in Kuwait, a military security detachment (SECDET) formation composed of approximately 100 troops assigned to protect Australian official representatives in Baghdad, an Australian Army training team of about 20 troops and several dozen liaison officers distributed throughout headquarter and command facilities throughout Iraq. There is also a naval deployment in the Persian Gulf as part of Australian-led Task Force 158 (TF158) including warship HMAS Warramunga (180 personnel) and two AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft (total of 150 personnel including ground crew). The Australian Air Force has also deployed two C-130 Hercules transport aircraft with around 100 associated personnel. Casualties: in January 2005, eight Australian soldiers were wounded, two seriously, by a VBIED on the road to Baghdad International Airport. In mid-2005 one Australian private military contractor was ambushed and killed along with a British and American counterpart; another was killed by a roadside bomb in June 2006. On November 7, 2005, an Australian Special Air Service SASR soldier was killed in a vehicle training accident in Kuwait. On 21 April 2006 Australian soldier Jacob Kovco as part of the Baghdad SECDET was accidentally shot and killed.

* Flag of South Korea Republic of Korea - About 2,300 South Korean troops are officially deployed in Iraq (as of August 2006). 1,000 troops were withdrawn in the first half of 2006, from an initial 3,300, after a December 2005 vote by the National Assembly[3] (10-3 with one abstention), thus approving a government proposal. The main tasks of the troops are to offer medical services and build and repair roads, power lines, schools and other infrastructure. The 2,700 soldiers, mostly combat engineers of the Zaytun ("olive-peace") Division, were deployed in late September 2004 to Irbil in the Kurdish-controlled region of northern Iraq and combined with the 600 humanitarian troops that had been operating in southern Iraq since April 2003. Although South Korea has the third-largest military presence in Iraq after the United States and Britain, there have been no casualties (Korean nor Iraqi) in their area except two Iraqi civilians killed in a car accident.

[edit] Between 100 and 999 soldiers

* Flag of Poland Poland - 900 in the 'First Warsaw Division'. The Polish forces command the Multi-National Division (South Central) which consists of forces from several other countries. The contingent was cut from 1,500 troops to 900 troops in March 2006, and Polish force will shift toward the training of Iraqi security forces. On 5 January 2006, Radio Polonia reported that Polish troops had handed over control of the central Babil province to US troops and would be stationed at camps in the cities of Kut and Diwaniyah for the remainder of their mandate. In accordance with the decision of the former Polish Minister of Defense Jerzy Szmajdziński, the number of troops was reduced from 2,500 to 1,500 during the second half of 2005. Poland's former leftist government, which lost 25 September 2005 elections, had planned to withdraw the remaining 1,500 troops in January. However, the new defense minister, Radosław Sikorski, visited Washington on the 3rd of December for talks on Poland's coalition plans, and Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz declared that he would decide after the Iraqi elections on 15 December, whether to extend its troops' mandate beyond 31 December. On Tuesday 22 December, Prime Minister Marcinkiewicz announced to reporters following a government meeting, that he had asked President Lech Kaczyński to keep Polish troops in Iraq for another year, calling it "a very difficult decision." Poland has lost 17 soldiers in Iraq: 11 in engagements or ambushes and 6 in various accidents. In a statement released in July 2004, Al Zarqawi released a statement threatening Japan, Poland and Bulgaria over their troop deployments. He demanded of the Polish government 'Pull your troops out of Iraq or you will hear the sounds of explosions that will hit your country.' Hours later Prime Minister Marek Belka denied, and deputy Defence Minister Janusz Zemke said pulling out would be a 'terrible mistake.'

* Flag of Georgia (country) Georgia - 300 commandos under US command North of Baghdad. In June 2004, three soldiers were wounded in an attack on a US base, and in November 2005, four were wounded in a bombing in Baqouba. 550 more forces were deployed in June 2005, for UNAMI including liaison officers.

* Flag of Denmark Denmark - 515 troops under UK command (South-East Iraq) including infantry, medics and military police in South East Iraq near Basra at "Camp Danevang". This is in addition to 35 troops operating under UNAMI. Denmark has lost six soldiers in Iraq; one to friendly fire, one in a vehicle accident, one in a firefight and the three others to separate IEDs, while two were wounded in August 2005. From 2003 till 2006, Denmark extended its Iraqi forces by biannually parliamentary decisions. However in May 2006 the Danish parliament voted to extend the Danish military force in Iraq for a full year, until at least July 2007, or for so long as the Iraqi government wanted it. The Danish government has repeatedly guaranteed that it would remain as long as the Iraqi government requested it.

* Flag of El Salvador El Salvador - 380 troops from the 'Cuscatlan Battalion' under Polish command (Central South Iraq). El Salvador has lost five soldiers in Iraq, four in hostile incidents and one in an accident.

* Flag of Azerbaijan Azerbaijan - 150 troops under US command in the far North of Iraq. 100 soldiers were sent on 29 December 2004 to reinforce the 150 soldiers already in the country. They provide security for local Turkmen populations, religious sites and convoys.

* Flag of Mongolia Mongolia - 131 men in an infantry company known as the 'Peacekeeping Operations Battalion' under Polish command.

* Flag of Albania Albania - 120 non-combat troops under US command near Mosul.

* Flag of Latvia Latvia - 136 troops under Polish command (Central South Iraq). Latvia lost one soldier in Iraq in an insurgent attack.

* Flag of Slovakia Slovakia - 110-man engineering unit under Polish command (Central South Iraq). Slovakia lost three soldiers in Iraq (06/08/04) along with two Poles and a Latvian, when a mortar landed on a truck laden with munitions prepared for transportation to a detonation site. On October 18, 2006, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced plans to withdraw Slovakia’s military unit from Iraq by February of 2007. [12]

[edit] Fewer than 100 soldiers

* Flag of Czech Republic Czech Republic - 96 police trainers under British command (South-East Iraq). (Reduced from 300 troops, a small detachment of MPs, and 3 civilians running a field hospital as of November 2003.) After 2006, the goal will change from Iraqi police training to Shaibah Base protection and patrolling.

* Flag of Lithuania Lithuania - 50 troops under Polish command (Central South Iraq). The Lithuanian government has declared its intention to stay until the end of 2007.

* Flag of Armenia Armenia has deployed a unit of 46 soldiers under Polish command (a mixture of non-combat support soldiers). On 5 December 2005, the Armenian government declared its intention to stay in Iraq for another year.

* Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina deployed a 36 man force to destroy explosives and clear mines as of June 2005. One Bosnian truck driver employed by a firm serving coalition troops was killed in an ambush on his convoy, while a Bosnian carpenter died of a heart attack.

* Flag of Estonia Estonia - 35 infantry troops known as the 'EstPla-11' unit under US command in Baghdad. Two soldiers were killed in Iraq in separate insurgent attacks.

* Flag of Republic of Macedonia Macedonia - 33 special forces soldiers under US command somewhere in the centre of Iraq. In late 2004 three Macedonian workers building barracks on American bases were executed after being captured by insurgents.

* Flag of Kazakhstan Kazakhstan - 29 military engineers under Polish command. One was killed (09/01/2005) along with eight Ukrainians when a pile of booby-trapped munitions was detonated by insurgents.

* Moldova Moldova - 12 de-mining specialists and medics. The Washington Post, on 15 July 2004, reported that Moldova had quietly halved its contingent from 24 to 12. It was widely believed that Moldova withdrew these remaining troops in February 2005, in fact, they were replaced by a fresh contingent. A third rotation took place in February 2006.

[edit] United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI)

* Flag of Georgia (country) Georgia - 550 soldiers from the 'Shavnabada Battalion' were assigned to perform UN protection duties (separate from 300 Coalition troops). However, they were placed under US command in a "Middle Ring Security" mission in the Green Zone. One soldier was severely injured in May 2005 in an IED attack on an American convoy, and treated at Walter Reed hospital in the United States.

* Flag of Fiji Fiji - 168 Fijian troops protecting UN buildings and staff in and around the Green Zone as of August 2006. In response to an 'urgent request' by the UN, Fiji sent an additional 34 soldiers on the 30th August 2006 to complement its existing 134[13]. As many as 300 had been in Baghdad during the January 2006 elections. ABC News reported on the October 20, 2004, that the contingent (trained, equipped and transported to Iraq by Australia) would be deployed the following month. A Fijian soldier died of a suspected heart attack on March 16, 2006. According to a BBC Monitoring report, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces had abandoned plans to deploy a battalion to Iraq under the Coalition, for financial reasons.

* Flag of Romania Romania - 130 blue-helmets performing UN protection duties, separate from the larger Romanian contingent operating under the US-led Coalition.

* Flag of Denmark Denmark - 35 troops under UNAMI and NATO in addition to 515 Coalition soldiers.

[edit] Nations no longer participating in ground operations

[edit] 2006 Withdrawals

* Flag of Romania Romania - 628 troops operated under British command (South-East Iraq). Romanian President Traian Basescu announced on the 30th of August 2006 that, within two months, Romania would withdraw its troops from Iraq. He said: "The Iraqi Government announced today that in 45-60 days at the most, the Dhi-Qar province where a Romanian battalion is deployed will be transferred under the control of the Iraqi army," and that the: "presence of Romanian troops in Iraq is "no longer necessary."[14] One soldier died in a Kuwait City hospital in March 2006, ten days after shooting himself in the head, and another was killed in a roadside bombing (along with three Italians) the following month. 130 more troops were deployed for UNAMI.

* Flag of Canada Canada - Canada disclosed that there have been Canadian military liasion personnel "embedded in American and coalition forces since the beginning of the conflict." [15] In addition, an undisclosed number of JTF2 operators were deployed to Iraq temporarily, working closely with US and British special forces to carry out the rescue of the Christian Peacemaker Hostages. [16] The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canadian Security Intelligence Service were also involved in that operation. [17]. Canada was criticised by opposition parties for the participation of less than ten navy personnel participating in Iraq on a NATO exchange.

* Flag of Japan Japan - The last 280 of the original 600 medics and engineers based in Samawah (Southern Iraq) had been withdrawn by July 25th 2006, arriving home in Tokyo in the early morning [18]. The reconstruction mission in Samawa had limited the troops' activities to "non-combat zones". Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Cabinet decided on 8 December 2005 to allow its 600 troops to stay for another year, despite a poll by the Asahi newspaper which found that 69% of respondents were against renewing the mandate, up from 55% in January. Despite the apparent year-long extension of the mandate, PM Koizumi announced on the 20th of June 2006 that the Japanese contingent would be withdrawn within 'several dozen days'[19], citing the completion of the Japanese mission in Samawah. However, he suggested expanding airborne logistical support from southern parts of the country to Baghdad in place of the ground force. Three Japanese hostages were captured in Iraq in early 2004 but were released unharmed a week later. Later, in a statement released in July 2004, Al Zarqawi released a statement threatening Japan, Poland and Bulgaria over their troop deployments. He demanded the Japanese government to 'do what the Philippines have done' and withdraw its troops, and said that 'lines of cars laden with explosives are awaiting you' if his demands were not met. Mortars and rockets have been lobbed at the Japanese camp several times, causing no damage or injuries.

* Flag of Italy Italy - On Sept 21 2006, Italian forces handed over Dhi Qar province in southern Iraq to newly-trained Iraqi security forces, thus ending their military mission: "The Italian contingent is going back. The mission is accomplished — the security of the province is in your hands," Minister of Defence Arturo Parisi said to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.[20] About a month earlier, on August 23rd, the Italian contingent stood at 1,600 troops. The 'Garibaldi Brigade' served its final four month tour of duty between May and Sepetember 2006, and included mechanised infantry, helicopters and Carabinieri in South Central Iraq, based around Nasiriyah. The original contingent consisted of about 3,200 troops, but on 9 July 2005, former PM Berlusconi announced that Italian soldiers would gradually be withdrawn in groups of 300. New Prime Minister Romano Prodi had pledged to withdraw the troops in his first speech to the senate and called the war "a grave mistake that has complicated rather than solved the problem of security".[21][22] Shortly after, on 26 May, 2006, Italian foreign minister Massimo D'Alema announced that the Italian forces would be reduced from 1,800 to 1,600 by June. On June 8, he said Italy's military presence in Iraq would end before 2007. [23]. The Italian forces have lost 33 soldiers in Iraq. 25 were hostile deaths: Two in separate engagements, six in various roadside bombings, 17 in a late 2003 suicide bombing on the Italian HQ in Nasiriyah (which also killed at least two Italian civilians), eight were accidents and one, a ranking major general, was a controversial friendly fire incident. Italy has another 84 troops stationed on bases in the Persian Gulf. Recently, A-129 Mangusta attack helicopters and more Dardo tracked IFVs have been sent to Iraq.

[edit] 2005 Withdrawals

* Portugal Portugal - had 128 military policemen under Italian command (South East Iraq). Troops were withdrawn on 10 February 2005, two days ahead of schedule.

* Netherlands Netherlands - Half a dozen liaison officers remain as of late 2005. An independent contingent of 1,345 troops (including 650 Dutch Marines, three or more Chinook helicopters, military police, a logistics team, a commando squad, and a field hospital and Royal Netherlands Air Force AH-64 attack helicopters in support) based in Samawah (Southern Iraq) left Iraq in June 2005. On June 1, 2004, the Dutch government renewed the troop stay through 2005. The Algemeen Dagblad reported on October 21, 2004, that the Netherlands would pull its troops out of Iraq in March 2005, at the end of the troop's mandate. Citing the Dutch Defense Minister, the Dutch Government had reportedly turned down an Iraqi Government request to extend the Dutch contingent's stay in-country. Netherlands lost two soldiers in separate insurgent attacks.

* Ukraine Ukraine - As of December 22, 2005, all remaining Ukrainian troops crossed the Iraqi border into Kuwait and arrived home in the Ukraine by December 30. This fulfills a long-planned withdrawal pledged by President Viktor Yushchenko who was sworn in on the January 23, 2005, and executes a ruling by the Ukrainian legislative body, the Verkhovna Rada, which passed a motion for the withdrawal of all troops. An independent contingent originally consisting of 1,650 mechanized infantry troops in Kut (South Central Iraq), had been slashed to around 900 between March 15 and May 15, 2004.This number was then reduced continuously until the 44 remaining troops were pulled out along with the last of the vehicles within the final days of 2005. Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko announced that 30 Army officers, ten specialists from the border service and ten representatives from the Interior Ministry would stay in Iraq, and that they would work at headquarter and command facilities. Ukraine lost a total of 18 soldiers in Iraq: 12 in attacks, 3 in accidents, 2 in suicides and 1 as a result of a heart attack, while 32 were wounded or injured. Early in 2004, three Ukrainian engineers were taken hostage in Iraq but were freed shortly after.

* Bulgaria Bulgaria - As of December 27, 2005, the last of the Bulgarian contingent in Iraq withdrew into Kuwait following a decision made by the Parliament in May. Bulgaria had announced on November 3, 2004, that it would reduce the size of its contingent to 462 troops during the next scheduled unit rotation. This number dropped to 380 by late November 2005. The Dnevnik Newspaper reported on 8 December 2005 that 120 soldiers would guard a prison housing rape and murder convicts in Ashraf, thus switching Bulgaria's role in Iraq to one of policing duties rather than military occupation. They started duty on January 1, 2006, and would sdupposedly be there for four months at the most. The original contingent of 380 mechanized infantry troops, which was under Polish command, guarded municipal buildings and the town centre in Kerbala (South Central Iraq). Bulgaria lost 13 soldiers in Iraq: one to friendly fire, seven in attacks and five in accidents. In addition, two Bulgarian truck drivers working for companies serving coalition troops have been captured and killed in Iraq, with another ambushed and killed. Three Bulgarian pilots were killed when their Mi-17 transport helicopter (transporting a team of private military contractors) was shot down in April 2005.

[edit] 2004 Withdrawals

* Nicaragua Nicaragua - 230 troops left in February 2004, no replacement, attributed to financial reasons. While in Iraq, the troops were under Spanish command.

* Spain Spain - had 1,300 troops (mostly assigned to policing duties) in Najaf and commanded the troops of Honduras, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and of Nicaragua. Newly elected Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero fulfilled one of his campaign pledges and declared the end of the mission on April 28, 2004 with the withdrawal of the last 260 troops. While in Iraq, Spain lost 11 military personnel: ten killed in insurgent attacks and one in an accident. Already during the mandate of the previous pro-invasion excecutive, Spanish permanent representative Inocencio Arias raised questions about the legitimacy of the Iraq war.

* Honduras Honduras - 368 troops withdrawn by end of May 2004 along with Spain's contingent, citing that the troops were sent there for reconstruction, not combat. While in Iraq, the troops were under Spanish command (South East Iraq).

* Dominican Republic Dominican Republic - 302 troops withdrawn by end of May 2004, shortly after Spain and Honduras withdrew their contingents, citing growing domestic opposition. While in Iraq, the troops were under Spanish command (South East Iraq).

* Norway Norway - 140 of 150 troops (engineers and mine clearers) withdrawn on June 30, 2004 citing growing domestic opposition and the need for the troops elsewhere; the ten remaining liasion officers had been withdrawn by August 2006. The Bondevik II administration insists the troops were never part of the invasion force, citing a UN humanitarian mandate. This does not seem to have come to the attention of the international community, as Al-Qaeda has included Norway in videotaped threats on at least two occasions, and US organizations have included Norway on their lists of participating nations. The actual status of Norwegian engineering and administrative personnel past and present are still a matter of domestic controversy, in part because troops serving in a war zone are entitled to better pay. It is popular belief that Norway was bullied by America into joining the Coalition.[24]

* Philippines Philippines - 51 medics, engineers and sand soldiers withdrawn July 14, 2004 in response to kidnapping of a truck driver. When the hostage takers' demands were met (Filipino troops out of Iraq), the hostage was released. While in Iraq, the troops were under Polish command (Central South Iraq) and during that time several Filipino soldiers were wounded in an insurgent attack but none died.

* Thailand Thailand - Withdrawal of last 100 troops from Thailand's 423-strong humanitarian contingent completed on 10 September 2004, in accordance with Thailand's mandate in Iraq which expired in September. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had previously announced early withdrawal if the situation became too dangerous. Thailand lost two soldiers in Iraq in an insurgent attack.

* Singapore Singapore - A total of 192 Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel returned on 31 January 2004 after a two month deployment. A Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) amphibious transport dock conducted logistical tasks such as replenishing supplies for other naval vessels in the Persian Gulf, and conducted patrols to enforce a maritime presence. It also provided a platform for helicopter missions and maritime boarding operations missions by teams from other coalition countries when they inspected ships leaving Iraq. A (SAF) C-130 transport aircraft returned on 4 April 2004 after a two month deployment. During its deployment, the C-130 detachment conducted air support missions, including providing airlift and transportation of logistics supply to coalition forces. A SAF KC-135 tanker aircraft returned on 11 September 2004 after a three month deployment. During its deployment, the KC-135 provided air-to-air refuelling for coalition forces. A RSN amphibious transport dock with 180 personnel returned on 19 March 2005 after a three month deployment. Currently, there are no SAF personnel in or around Iraq.

* Hungary Hungary - Hungary's contingent of 300 transportation troops had begun arriving home in Budapest from Iraq on 22 December 2004, reported AFP. All of Hungary's troops were reported by the Defence Ministry to have left Iraq by the end of that day. While in Iraq one Hungarian soldier was killed in an insurgent attack.

* New Zealand New Zealand - Two rotations of 61 military engineers, known as Task Force Rake, operated in Iraq from September 26, 2003 to September 25, 2004 [25] [26]. They were deployed to undertake humanitarian and reconstruction tasks consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 1483; they were not part of the invading force. While in Iraq the unit was under British command (South East Iraq) and was based in Basra.

* Tonga Tonga - 45 Royal Marines. Arrived in Iraq at the beginning of July 2004 to augment the I Marine Expeditionary Force in the Al Anbar Province. Withdrew all forces in mid-December 2004.

* Iceland Iceland - Iceland had two Explosive Ordnance Disposal experts, a medical advisor, and some transport experts assigned to the Danish unit immediately after the occupation began; they have since been withdrawn.

Source -Wikipedia

Leets see. The USa makes almost of the contingent, whit help from the UK and Australia, long allies of the USA, and Korea, a very good "friend" goverment fo the USA. The rest are very small aditions of small nations that were treathened by economic sanctions, cutings of economic help, or economic bribes to assist, or some nations that really wants to help the iraquis (mostly whit non-combat troops like engginers or medics). Other allies of the USA, like the NATO ones, retired after seeing that the USA had stuck its leg in very deep mud for nothing.

[thecreeper]

Propaganda from the Dems

There has been no more terror attacks but God forbid if Hitliary or another Democrap gets elected....That would be scary...The President said from the beginning it would be a long haul and everyone including the Dems backed him, Now they are being 2 faced as usual....

umm dude bush isn't makeing the usa safer, in fact he is make use much less safe

[Lone Ranger]

umm dude bush isn't makeing the usa safer, in fact he is make use much less safe

We will see.....Wait till election time and forbid a Dem gets in.......You will see just how safe he made America!

[thecreeper]

We will see.....Wait till election time and forbid a Dem gets in.......You will see just how safe he made America!

I hate republican propangda, it stinks

[Lone Ranger]

I hate republican propangda, it stinks

Democrap liberals ruin America

[thecreeper]

Democrap liberals ruin America

sure and bill clintion is the cause of all americas problems, stop listing to the white house and repubican spoon feed lies

[Lone Ranger]

sure and bill clintion is the cause of all americas problems, stop listing to the white house and repubican spoon feed lies

The Dems can quit crying...Bush is still President for 2 more years. and they can not come up with 1 descent candidate...

[thecreeper]

The Dems can quit crying...Bush is still President for 2 more years. and they can not come up with 1 descent candidate...

have the republicans got a good candidate for 2008?

[Lone Ranger]

have the republicans got a good candidate for 2008?

Rudy Giuliani or Jeb Bush

[Avinash_Tyagi]

Rudy Giuliani or Jeb Bush

If Jeb Bush wins i'm going to start stockpiling assault rifles

Edited November 2, 2006 by Avinash_Tyagi

[Lone Ranger]

If Jeb Bush wins i'm going to start stockpiling assault rifles

Start stockpiling..... now if Hitliary wins.... or Kerry...I'm moving to Canada!!!

Edited November 2, 2006 by Captain Blye

[Otacon]

If Jeb Bush wins i'm going to start stockpiling assault rifles

I'm already one step a head of you. I got three bolt action rifles, two AR-15's and one M870 Remington shotgun with enough ammunition to fill a nice sized closet.

I'll be damned if another Bush gets into office....

[Avinash_Tyagi]

If he were to win I'd seriously be expecting some form of revolution or civil war to occur

[AROCES]

If he were to win I'd seriously be expecting some form of revolution or civil war to occur

Translation - liberals will be crying like babies again and this time making a tantrum!!!

[thecreeper]

the only way another bush is going to be pres is if president bush decalres absoulte rule over the usa, I hope he doesn't cause if he does its going to be war

[Otacon]

If he were to win I'd seriously be expecting some form of revolution or civil war to occur

Why do you think I have all the firearms I mentioned above? I plan to arm the revolutionaries around me!

[Otacon]

the only way another bush is going to be pres is if president bush decalres absoulte rule over the usa, I hope he doesn't cause if he does its going to be war

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum...showtopic=81032

Basically this video sums it up quite nicely...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igycXBseoAg&eurl=

If things don't change real quick, were going to be watching as the first dictator for America steps up.

His name: George W. Bush.

[Lone Ranger]

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum...showtopic=81032

Basically this video sums it up quite nicely...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igycXBseoAg&eurl=

If things don't change real quick, were going to be watching as the first dictator for America steps up.

His name: George W. Bush.

Bush won with a mandate!

[Avinash_Tyagi]

Bush won with a mandate!

He won in 2004 with like 2% of the popular vote, hardly a mandate

[thecreeper]

Bush won with a mandate!

a fine case of republican spin, dude bush only won cause too many people don't vote

[Otacon]

Bush won with a mandate!

I understand your for the republican party, but this monster in office is tearing this country apart. We need a change and I'm not talking about a democrate or a republican. I'm talking about a whole new government from the bottom up.

That my friends, comes from a revolution....