Urgent plea to train Iraqi army

BRUSSELS – Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari yesterday appealed to NATO to launch a training programme for Iraq’s fledgling army as soon as possible.

“Our request was that we need this training which was promised to us in Istanbul to be carried out as soon as possible. We need it.In fact, we are in a race against time.It’s a matter of urgency,” he said after a visit to the Alliance’s headquarters in Brussels.He was speaking after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, and addressing NATO ambassadors.NATO leaders meeting in Istanbul late last month offered to help train Iraqi security forces, but the alliance still has to work out how the training is to be delivered.The main stumbling block has been whether the Iraqi troops should be trained inside or outside of the country, with France insisting it should not be done on Iraqi territory.”Of course we want this training… to be carried out inside Iraq,” said Zebari, but he added: “If there were some countries willing to provide some training abroad, I think we would welcome that.”- Nampa-AFPWe need it.In fact, we are in a race against time.It’s a matter of urgency,” he said after a visit to the Alliance’s headquarters in Brussels.He was speaking after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, and addressing NATO ambassadors.NATO leaders meeting in Istanbul late last month offered to help train Iraqi security forces, but the alliance still has to work out how the training is to be delivered.The main stumbling block has been whether the Iraqi troops should be trained inside or outside of the country, with France insisting it should not be done on Iraqi territory.”Of course we want this training… to be carried out inside Iraq,” said Zebari, but he added: “If there were some countries willing to provide some training abroad, I think we would welcome that.”- Nampa-AFP