IF IT ISN'T USEFUL WHY KEEP IT?:

NATO role in training Iraqi Army takes shape (Judy Dempsey, October 04, 2004, International Herald Tribune)

NATO's top general says up to 3,000 of its troops could be involved in training the new Iraqi army but insisted that the military alliance would not be used to take over eventually from the U.S.-led multinational forces inside the country.

General James Jones, NATO's commander and the head of U.S. forces in Europe, said in an interview Friday that while no final decision had been reached about the number of troops, 3,000 was “a soft figure" and "it is evolving as we speak.”

The idea of NATO playing a much bigger role than expected in Iraq could reopen old wounds inside the 26-member alliance, which was almost torn apart two years ago because of bitter disagreements over U.S. plans to attack Iraq.

The United States and Britain took the lead in supporting the war, while France and Germany led the anti-war camp. Diplomats at NATO headquarters in Brussels said that the bitterness had dissipated but that the differences remained.

Nevertheless, last month, NATO ambassadors agreed on providing 200 trainers to help rebuild the Iraqi Army, after France had insisted on a clear mandate and timetable that would not extend the alliance's role beyond training.

Despite these conditions, NATO diplomats said there were still fears among some alliance members that any role inside Iraq would set a precedent for deeper engagement.

It's an issue worth breaking NATO over.

Posted by Orrin Judd at October 4, 2004 7:09 AM