6 NATO Allies Refuse To Help In Iraq - White House Surprised!

[Nbadan]

By BARRY SCHWEID, AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON - At least six NATO (news - web sites) allies are refusing to send military instructors to help the United States train Iraqi officers, another impediment in the Bush administration's drive for support for its effort to pacify Iraq (news - web sites).


The six nations — Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg and Greece — had refused to contribute troops to the U.S.-led coalition that overthrew President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) and to the postwar campaign against insurgents.

The administration was hoping to forge a consensus on postwar peacemaking. The project to train Iraqi officers will not involve combat duties and is part of a broader security program

A State Department official close to the dispute said Friday that all 26 NATO allies voted on Wednesday at alliance headquarters in Brussels for the training program and agreed to help fund it. However, at least six held out from playing any active role and refused to send officers to NATO staging areas in Norfolk, Va., and Mons, Belgium.

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US angered by refusal of some in NATO to participate in Iraq mission: official

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States is growing increasingly frustrated with the refusal of five NATO (news - web sites) members, particularly Germany, to allow their military officers seconded to alliance bases to be deployed in Iraq (news - web sites), a senior US official said.

NATO agreed this week to set up a training mission for the Iraqi military in what the official called a "significant" sign of progress since US-led invasion splintered the alliance last year, but Washington fears Berlin's position may erode new-found fragile unity, the official said.

Germany, along with fellow anti-war NATO members Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Spain, went along with the decision to set up the Baghdad training mission but have refused to permit their officers stationed at NATO's two operations bases to participate, the official said.

"Frankly, a number of us have been surprised by this," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity at the State Department, suggesting that the position smacked of obstinateness and a refusal to fully support the interim Iraqi government in its time of need.

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What's the big surprise?

Looks like the U.N. is on the road to irrelevancy!

[Useruser666]

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What's the big surprise?

Looks like the U.N. is on the road to irrelevancy!

Um, good.

[bigzak25]

they would have told Kerry to off as well....or maybe he would have let them reap all the benefits from the war without having fought in it.....surely they would have joined us after he gave them some helmet in that regard.

[Marcus Bryant]

The official said no one expected Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg or Spain to contribute troops from their own national armies to the training mission, which will send about 400 allied officers to train senior Iraqi commanders and 1,100 to 1,200 soldiers to protect the operation.

Oh GOD! Luxembourg?! What will we do now?!

[JoeChalupa]

Those bas s!!

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg or Spain

I don't see any names on that list that I'm disappointed about not having the help of. Hope they remember it though next time they need us to come save their ass from something.