Coalition of the Leaving: What Caused the Disintegration of the Multi-National Force in Iraq (2003-2009)

Abstract

This mixed-methods dissertation investigates the countries of the Coalition of the Willing in Iraq (2003-2009) to identify the determinants of defection and of fluctuation in troop numbers. It makes theoretical contributions to the literature on alliance and coalition defection and speaks broadly to the question of international cooperation in the field of security. The major conclusion in this study is that the long-term reliability of military commitments of countries, particularly ones made within ad hoc coalitions, is fragile because it depends considerably on the domestic political process.