Some might call it replacing a soft ally with a “real ally”. What I see is that, slowly but surely, the “Coalition of the Willing†is degrading into what it truly represented. The aggression of one nation against the will of the world.
The Anglosphere are committed to helping the Middle East enter the modern world.
Middle East? Thankfully they’re only occupying one country… and it is looking decidingly “un-modern”
If he were talking about President Bush, PM Howard and PM Blair individually then he may be right. Though aren’t there a couple of other good ‘ol Anglo countries? But I don’t see them grabbing an M-16 and heading to the streets of Fallujah.
No, considering public opinion in both Australia (75%) and the UK (66%) is firmly against sending more troops, or indeed even keeping troops in Iraq, then I’d say the real “coalition” here is between powerful men far removed from the war. Oh… and just because someone might ask… the Japanese feel much the same way (56%), but I don’t think they count as part of the “Anglosphere” anyway.
Update
Bulgaria announced today it will reduce its’ presence in July and be out of Iraq by December.
Update 2
Excuse my French but “Colline-de-Bine!”, it WAS all about oil. Whoda thunk? Wait… and it was Oil Executives who refused to privatize Iraqi oil?? As they say, truth is stranger than fiction.