Powell Says U.S. Has 45-Nation Coalition on Iraq

Reuters ^ | 3/18/03

[areafiftyone]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Tuesday there was a coalition of about 45 nations that support taking military action against Iraq, one third of which prefer not to be named.

"We now have a coalition of the willing that includes some 30 nations who have publicly said they could be included in such a listing," Powell told reporters. "There are 15 other nations who for one reason or another do not yet wish to be publicly named but will be supporting the coalition."

President Bush gave an ultimatum to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein on Monday: leave power in 48 hours or face a U.S.-led war that will start "at a time of our choosing" to force Iraq to give up its suspected weapons of mass destruction. Iraq denies it has such weapons.

U.S. officials released a list of the nations they said would be part of the coalition including: Afghanistan, Albania, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Hungary, Italy and Japan, which it listed as "post-conflict."

The others were South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Uzbekistan

[k2blader]

Bump!

[Huck]

coalition of the willing

This White House has a certain style to it. This has the same tone as "a time of our choosing." Hard to describe. I guess I would say it's a firm resolve. Certitude. I like it.

[SkiHatGuy]

The largest "unilateral coalition" in the history of mankind.

:)

[DoughtyOne]

It has been difficult to keep up with. Nations seem to enter and exit from time to time.

Canada just announced they won't enter the military phase. Turkey helps in some ways and doesn't in others. Arab states range from land use, helping Kuwait, offering some air space rights, some or all of this or none of it.

[anniegetyourgun]

Gosh, I'm surprised Reuters reported on this. Perhaps it's only a short report in their hope that it will be overlooked? Sorry to be so jaded....but these are the same folks who refused to call 9/11 murderers what they were - terrorists.

[AgentEcho]

Ironic to see how many of the group are former Soviet block countries / states.

Æ

[rudy45]

How many members did the 1991 coalition have? I hope the numbers are close.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Fred Barnes said nearly 50 supported the 1991 Gulf War and about 50 supported us in WW2.

[Az Joe]

"The Magnificent Thirty?"

"The Tremendous Thirty?"

"The Triumphant Thirty?"

[Quilla]

I believe I heard Fred Barnes say last night that 45 countries were involved in the Persian Gulf war. Rush Limbaugh is just reporting that Germany is now on board. Thread here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/867984/posts

[texastoo]

Please don't let this information go to Mexico as they stated yesterday that their vote was secret.

If Mexico thinks there is any money involved with this, they will jump on the band wagon immediately.

[SamAdams76]

How come South America is so unrepresented here? What about Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile?

[Green]

Glenn Beck said on his show this morning that the three largest coalitions in the history of this world are: (1) WWII; (2) Gulf War; and (3) THIS WAR.

[irish guard]

I like it, the Magnificent Thirty and the rest are pussies.

[EGPWS]

Chirac singing to Putin during a heartfelt hug.....Youuu and meeee against the world...

[areafiftyone]

Maybe they are the ones that don't want to be publicly named?

[DoughtyOne]

I think it is reasonable for this coalition to be a bit smaller. Last time open hostilities had broken out between Iraq and Kuwait, Iraq had attacked and overrun it. That being the case, it's reasonable to think the numbers might be smaller this time.

[x-navy seal]

It's growing by the hour!