Bush seeks funds for Iraqi partners

UPI, United Press Int’l
February 9, 2005 Wednesday 3:43 PM EST

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 — President George W. Bush will ask Congress for
$400 million to help the military capability of some nations helping
in Iraq, the White House said Wednesday.

The funding would be part of the $81 billion supplemental funding
request for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan he was to
send to Capitol Hill soon.

It was not immediately clear, however, if the $400 million would be
wrapped into the $81 billion figure or added to it.

“The nest hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom
in all the world,” a news release quoted the president. “Our closest
partners agree. For many of these partners, now vibrant democracies
and staunch allies, the tragedy of tyranny is a painful chapter in
their own receipt histories.”

Some 28 nations have troops in Iraq. Among them are former Soviet
satellite states such as Poland, Bulgaria, Estonia and Armenia —
all countries with limited military resources. Their contingents
range from a few dozen soldiers to Poland’s 2,400, of which 800 are
being withdrawn soon.

The United States has about 150,000 troops in Iraq and Britain more
than 8,000. The total multinational force is about 29,000.