coalition of the willing

A coalition of the willing is an alliance of countries that voluntarily join a military or political initiative, especially one lacking formal institutional backing.

The phrase gained prominence during the 2003 Iraq War, when the United States used it to describe nations supporting the invasion despite lack of UN authorization.

The term often carries ironic overtones, suggesting a fig leaf for unilateral action: They assembled a coalition of the willing, though critics noted most members contributed little beyond their names.