Bulgarian contingent of the coalition of the willing heading for the exit

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L09342851.htm

Bulgaria to withdraw troops from Iraq by end-year

SOFIA, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Bulgaria will withdraw its 334-strong light infantry battalion from Iraq by the end of the year and after Iraqi parliamentary elections on Dec. 15, Defence Minister Veselin Bliznakov said on Friday.

With the decision, the poor Balkan state is speeding up a pullout originally expected to take several months.

At Washington's request, Sofia's Socialist-led government delayed a plan to withdraw soon after winning June elections, but Bliznakov said troops would be home before the new year.

"The fifth contingent of Bulgaria troops will come back by the end of this year at the latest. We expect the last group of troops to come back by Dec. 31," he told journalists on returning from a visit to the United States.

[northzax]

1. we've lost the Bulgarians?

now our Quidditch team will really suck.