0 0 0 ▁Georg ian ▁soldiers ▁served ▁in ▁Ira q ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁six - month ▁rot ations ; ▁the ▁service ▁in ▁Ira q ▁was ▁volunt ary . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Russia – Ge org ia ▁war ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Georgia ▁re called ▁all ▁of ▁its ▁forces ▁from ▁Ira q . ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force ▁provided ▁log ist ical ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁withdraw al . ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 0 – 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁ 1 6 ▁C - 1 7 ▁G lob em aster s ▁sh utt led ▁around ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁Georg ian ▁soldiers ▁and ▁supplies ▁back ▁to ▁Georgia , ▁drawing ▁a ▁sharp ▁protest ▁from ▁Russia . ▁The ▁U . S . ▁officials ▁respond ed ▁that ▁the ▁assistance ▁to ▁the ▁Georg ian ▁re deploy ment ▁to ▁Georgia ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁prior ▁agreement ▁that ▁transport ▁would ▁be ▁provided ▁in ▁case ▁of ▁an ▁emer gency ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁Rus si ans ▁had ▁been ▁informed ▁about ▁the ▁fl ights ▁in ▁advance . ▁ ▁Cas ual ties ▁▁ ▁In ▁total , ▁Georgia ▁suffered ▁three ▁combat ▁fatal ities ▁( all ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ) ▁and ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 9 ▁serv ic emen ▁were ▁injured ▁in ▁Ira q . ▁In ▁addition , ▁one ▁Georg ian ▁serv ic eman ▁died ▁in ▁a ▁car ▁accident ▁and ▁one ▁committed ▁suic ide , ▁both ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁Ro le ▁of