Nations Represented in the Coalition Forces

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Cloudbringer: Uh...I've heard of BRITISH troops and American troops in combat. Not sure if the Australian troops are engaging Iraqui army divisions. The only military leaders giving 'official' coalition newsbriefs, that I've seen are UK and USA.

That would be because you're in America Amber. More a statement on media practices than anything else.

As usual the Aussies are in there kicking arse and not getting the international press. In WWII they spearheaded many movements in the western front. Numerically small but as Wellard said VERY high quality.

As far as 'official coalition newsbriefs' go:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/National/story_46972.asp

Australian Hornets lead raids in Iraq Australian FA-18 Hornet fighter jets led bombing raids on identified targets over Iraq overnight, Defence spokesman Brigadier Mike Hannan said. Brigadier Hannan said the Hornets dropped laser-guided 2,000 pound bombs on the targets. "The Hornets worked closely with a number of other coalition aircraft during the successful attack," he said. "During this attack, the Hornets dropped a number of laser-guided 2,000 pound bombs onto a target. "On completion of the mission, the Hornets returned to base safely." Brigadier Hannan said no Australian defence force members had been injured in hostilities at this stage. "All of our people are safe and well," Brigadier Hannan said.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/National/story_39908.asp

SAS has Iraqi platoon destroyed Australia's elite Special Air Service (SAS) troops called in an airstrike to destroy an Iraqi platoon, Defence Minister Robert Hill said. "They came across what was interpreted as a platoon of Iraqi military with a number of vehicles," Senator Hill told ABC radio. "And that was taken out with the assistance of an air strike." The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has revealed the 150 SAS troops deployed in the Persian Gulf have killed an undisclosed number of Iraqi soldiers in several skirmishes. The ADF said on Sunday a SAS unit, usually comprising five or six men, directed an air strike against what appeared to be a ballistic missile site. Senator Hill said the SAS units had little rest. "They're on a constant reconnaissance mission; their task is to find targets such as ballistic missile sites," he said. "They either destroyed them themselves or call in air support. "They don't seem to get a lot of rest, the special forces - it's extraordinary how they do it." He would not comment on reports that the Australian SAS troops were in or near Baghdad. He said there had been no Australian military casualties and no Australian had been taken prisoner. The RAAF FA/18 Hornets and the navy frigate HMAS Anzac had also remained active in fighting. "Australian forces are continuing to make a significant contribution since this time yesterday," Senator Hill told the Nine Network. "Our FA/18 fighters have been conducting air strikes, bombing from the air. "Our ship ANZAC has continued to provide artillery support which has been very much appreciated by the British marines that they've been supporting." Senator Hill said the best predictions remained that the war would be relatively short.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/National/story_38533.asp

The Australian forces had not suffered any casualties in the war on Iraq and were trying to keep civilian deaths to a minimum, Prime Minister John Howard said. The US and British forces have both lost men and women in combat but Australia's 2,000 troops were reported to be safe. "Thus far there have been no casualties sustained by the Australian forces," Mr Howard told parliament. "There do appear to have been a number of casualties sustained by the United States forces and regrettably some 14-16 British military personnel have died in a series of accidents." Mr Howard said he was unable to offer a precise number of Iraqi civilian casualties. Australian cameraman Paul Moran was the first Australian casualty, killed in a suicide bombing in northern Iraq while shooting footage for an ABC story.

[Dreamer128]

Originally posted by Ar-Cunin: The international officers introduced at the press conference included a Dane and a Dutchman - but I'm not sure if Holland has any troops in the Gulf.

The officer, Lt Colonel Blom, is in charge of the Dutch patriot defence in Turkey. He had been granted permission to attent a meeting, not knowing that it was a press conference. We are just doing our duty as a member of NATO, and do not provide militairy support in Iraq in anyway.

[ 03-24-2003, 05:12 AM: Message edited by: Dreamer128 ]

Poland also has 200 troops in the Gulf, not sure if these are combat troops or more likely a support unit.

[Masklinn]

I've read that only US, UK, Australia, Denmark and Poland has troops in Iraq.
All other countries in the list we had some days ago support US but didnt send any troops.

[Cloudbringer]

Thanks for the articles and info, Hugh! I knew Australia had troops there, just not what they were doing.

[Iron_Ranger]

Borrowed from another message board-

Albania - committed to sending 70 troops

Australia - committed to sending 2000 troops

Poland - committed to sending 200 troops

Romania - committed to sending 278 troops

UK - committed to sending 45,000 troops

[Charean]

I heard on a story on Moran on NPR. Quite an amazing journalist and did work that is being quotes years later. Sounds like he was a groundbreaker. He will be missed.