Singapore troops left Iraq this week. Norway says they got to go too

A weakening coalition

Others note the need to strengthen and bolster what looks like an increasingly tenuous US-led coalition, many nations of which have proven to be inneffective militarily. Ukrainian forces, for example, withdrew from the area they were meant to secure and a Bulgarian unit called for US backup.

"The coalition is beginning to weaken," says retired Air Force Col. Sam Gardiner. "Singapore troops returned home this week. Norway has said it is going to focus on peacekeeping in other parts of the world.

South Korea is sending a team this week to reassess the situation. Portugal seems to be weakening.

"Like Vietnam, it's not that it was not possible to be successful, but the question is whether or not we are willing to pay the price," says Colonel Gardiner. "The price for Iraq has just gone up."

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