The U.S.-led coalition was dealt another setback Tuesday when the Dominican Republic announced it would join Spain and Hondoras in pulling its troops out of Iraq. Thailand is considering doing the same. The Los Angeles Times reports Secretary of State Colin Powell made personal calls to almost all of the members of the US-led coalition to assess their commitment to staying in Iraq.

Meanwhile former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger told the Senate Tuesday the US will likely have to maintain a high troop level in Iraq for up to five years and spend another $200 billion over the next three years to stabilize Iraq.