2 0 0 8 , ▁Georgia ▁had ▁deployed ▁ 2 , 3 0 0 ▁troops ▁in ▁Ira q , ▁becoming ▁the ▁third ▁largest ▁contrib utor ▁to ▁the ▁coal ition ▁forces ▁in ▁the ▁Ira q ▁War . ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁country ▁provided ▁a ▁batt alion ▁of ▁approximately ▁ 5 5 0 ▁troops ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Ass istance ▁Mission ▁in ▁Ira q . ▁All ▁Georg ian ▁troops ▁were ▁with dra wn ▁from ▁Ira q ▁amid ▁the ▁Russia – Ge org ia ▁war ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁Georgia ▁suffered ▁five ▁fatal ▁cas ual ties ▁in ▁Ira q . ▁ ▁Dep loyment ▁history ▁▁ ▁Georgia ▁strongly ▁supported ▁the ▁U . S .- led ▁entrance ▁of ▁troops ▁in ▁Ira q ▁for ▁peace keep ing ▁purposes ▁and ▁deployed ▁troops ▁to ▁the ▁country ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁Georgia ' s ▁military ▁deployment ▁was ▁undert aken ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁bro ader ▁efforts ▁to ▁bol ster ▁closer ▁t ies ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁NAT O . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁provided ▁military ▁training ▁programs — G TE P ▁and ▁G SS OP — for ▁Georg ian ▁forces ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Global ▁War ▁on ▁T error . ▁There ▁was ▁no ▁tang ible ▁domestic ▁opposition ▁to ▁the ▁Georg ian ▁invol vement ▁in ▁Ira q . ▁▁▁ ▁Georgia ' s ▁initial ▁deployment ▁was ▁a ▁pl ato on ▁of ▁special ▁forces ▁and ▁a ▁medical ▁team , ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 7 0 ▁personnel ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁The ▁Georg ian ▁presence ▁in