The "Coalition"

I keep hearing about this 65 (or 62 or 63 -- the number keeps changing) anti-ISIS coalition (or "ISIL", as the administration insists on calling it. I think Mr. O just likes saying, "ISIL". It sounds like "icicle". It sounds cool; just like him.)

I told my husband, "I don't think I could even name 65 countries." Granted, I like history. Geography, not so much.

Finding a consistent list online is impossible (trust me). First of all, every site has a different number. The one below is the most comprehensive I could find, and a quick glance would tell even my dog that this is not 60-some countries. And isn't listing the European Union and the Arab League giving certain countries two credits? Source

And Turkey? Come on.

So, I don't know. Tahiti? Iceland? Your guess is as good as mine.

I don't know about you, but those Finnish bombers are pretty scary.

The US is barely lifting its pinkie to "fight", so one can hardly ridicule the other members (except for the Finns. Just because.)

Just stop lying. I get so tired of the administration assuming the majority of us are as ignorant as its core demographic.


Allies providing air support and military equipment

U.S.: The prime mover. Has launched air strikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria since the end of August.
Canada: Has sent about 60 members of the Canadian Armed Forces to Iraq. Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) also provided airlift support to Albania, delivering 230 tonnes of military supplies to Iraq. Also sent $15-million for security.
Iraq: Authorized France to use its air space and welcomed coalition support in battling ISIS.
Jordan: Destroyed several ISIS targets through air strikes in Syria. Also worked to cut off funding to extremist and terrorist organizations.
Bahrain: Carried out air strikes against ISIS in Syria.
Saudi Arabia: Participated in air strikes in Syria. Has frequently condemned ISIS and given $100-million to the UN Counter-Terrorism Center and $500-million in humanitarian aid.
United Arab Emirates: Took part in air strikes on Syria. With other Persian Gulf nations has condemned ISIS and offered support to the coalition.
France: Bombed a warehouse occupied by ISIS in Iraq. French Air Force has also carried out reconnaissance flights over Iraq and vowed to take part in future air strikes “if needed.” Sent 59 tonnes of humanitarian cargo to Erbil, further deliveries due soon.
Germany: Sent 40 paratroopers to Iraq to provide weapons training to Kurdish fighters. Also sending 16,000 assault rifles, hundreds of anti-tank weapons and armoured vehicles — enough to arm 4,000 peshmerga soldiers. Some Kurdish fighters are also being trained in South Germany. Sending 36 tonnes of humanitarian aid.
United Kingdom: Supplied arms to the Kurds and a Royal Air Force squadron has contributed to surveillance operations. Gave $1.6 million of weapons and ammunition. Friday, Prime Minister David Cameron got the go-ahead to take part air strikes in the future. Earmarked $38-million in aid.
Australia: Sending up to eight Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 combat aircraft, an E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft, and a KC-30A multi-role tanker and transport aircraft. Australian Special Forces are advising Iraqi forces. Provided $5-million in humanitarian aid to Iraq.
Belgium: Sending six F-16 fighter planes, with eight pilots and 120 support staff.
Denmark: Sending seven F-16 fighter jets (four operational planes, three reserve) along with 250 pilots and support staff.
Italy: Sent $2.5-million of weaponry, including machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and nine million rounds of ammunition, and humanitarian aid. Offered to help refuelling planes.
Czech Republic: Provided fighter jets and 500 tons of ammunition to the Iraqi army, delivered by RCAF. Also contributed $1.5-million in humanitarian aid.
Albania: Provided weapons and ammunition to Kurdish forces. Has promised up to 22 million rifle rounds, 32,000 artillery shells for Kurdish forces.
Netherlands: Sending six F-16 fighter jets, plus two reserve jets, 250 pilots and support staff, likely to be based in Jordan. Will send about 130 military trainers to Iraq to support Iraqi and Kurdish fighters. Provided 1,000 helmets and 1,000 bulletproof vests for Kurdish forces, $10-million in humanitarian aid.
Estonia: Provided one million machine gun cartridges and a Hercules transport aircraft, plus $90,000 to support displaced Iraqis.
Hungary: Provided seven million cartridges, “thousands” of mines and armour-piercing shells. Sent $90,000 for Christians in Erbil.
Turkey: President Tayyip Erdogan said he will “give the necessary support to the operation. The support could be military or logistics.” More than $1.9-million of humanitarian aid sent to Turkmen in Northern Iraq. Funded construction of a camp for 20,000 Iraqi Turkmen.
Lebanon: Will not send troops or weapons, but will “receive military help to fight the organization through the Army,” says its foreign minister.

Allies providing humanitarian aid
• Sweden: $13-million.
• Kuwait: $9.5-million.
• Switzerland: $9-million.
• Japan: $6-million.
• Austria: $1.3-million.
• New Zealand: $1-million.
• South Korea: $1-million.
• Ireland: $1.4-million.
• Spain: $640,000.
• Slovakia: $25,000.
• Norway: Contributed to UNESCO aid drop, including 40,000 blankets, 10,000 kitchen sets and 18,000 plastic tarpaulins.
• Luxembourg: Contributed to aid deliveries from the United Nations.
• Qatar: Passed a new law to stop charities diverting money toward ISIS. Sent six aircraft carrying 300 tonnes of humanitarian aid.

Allies who have expressed support

Bulgaria: Foreign minister has said the conflict “poses a direct threat to Bulgaria,” but has not offered any military or aid distance so far.
Egypt: Released a statement strongly denouncing the execution of American journalist James Foley, with a spokesman calling for the “international community to rally efforts to fight terrorism.”
Finland: Minister for foreign fffairs said his country will “concentrate on delivering humanitarian aid to people in desperate need”
Georgia: Defence minister said officials “fully support what the United States is doing to eradicate these barbarians.”
Greece: Government condemned ISIS’s actions, adding, “We express our solidarity with the Iraqi government.”
Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “These groups must be fought, they must be rolled back, and they must ultimately be defeated. That’s why Israel fully supports President Obama’s call for united action against ISIS.”
Kosovo: Will help the United States to destroy ISIS and is part of the “emerging global alliance to fight a great evil.”
Oman: The Sultan of Oman has said “no one can afford to neglect a situation as serious as this” and his government will work “as fast as possible” to end ISIS threat.
Poland: Intends to support the fight polically, as well as through NATO membership.
Croatia: Committed to “helping provide Kurdish forces urgently needed arms and equipment.”
Romania: Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it will “contribute to the international community efforts to combat international terrorism and the ISIS phenomenon.”
Singapore: Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cited a “critical need for the international community to work closely together to counter this threat.”
Taiwan: Ministry of Foreign Affairs is monitoring “the threat to global security” and will “cooperate closely with the international community to provide humanitarian aid to the victims” of ISIS attacks.

Coalition supporters
The following nations have an unspecified commitment but the U.S. State Department said they are part of the coalition: Andorra, Bosnia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Tunisia and Ukraine.

Non-nation supporters

Two other bodies that have backed the coalition but are not nation states:
Arab League: Released several statements urging members to confront ISIS “militarily and politically.” Foreign ministers from all member states have agreed to take “all necessary measures” to confront ISIS.
European Union: The EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated to support “rapid deployment of in-kind assistance and expertise to Iraq.” Ten member states are providing essential relief through a “humanitarian air bridge.” The European Commission has increased the level of aid to $22-million in 2014.