As violence erupts and security remains elusive, more American allies are
signaling their concerns about the situation in Iraq. Following this week's
removal of Spanish, Honduran and Dominican troops, Britain announced it
would not send additional
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...22/wbasra322.x
ml&sSheet=/news/2004/04/22/ixnewstop.html) troops and Poland started to
show
(http://www.reuters.com/locales/newsA...2b93e2d2efb?ty
pe=worldNews&locale=en_IN&storyID=4895634) cracks in its commitment.
Reconstruction efforts are being suspended, and the administration is left
to flip-flop on policy, with no solid strategy in place. (Stunningly, in the
past two weeks, the only measure the White House has taken to prepare
(http://www.americanprogress.org/site...RJ8OVF&b=44603) for the
transfer of power on June 30 is the controversial naming of John Negroponte
to be Ambassador.) Meanwhile, the pressure on U.S. troops is increasing as
the highly-touted
(http://www.americanprogress.org/site...RJ8OVF&b=11300) Iraqi
security forces are not yet performing as promised
(http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/i...ces-quit_x.htm)
: "About one in every 10 members of Iraq's security forces 'actually worked
against' U.S. troops during the recent militia violence in Iraq, and an
additional 40 percent walked off the job because of intimidation."