(Washington Post) Daniel Williams - The United States has accepted 1,000 Iraqi exiles for military training as guides and go-betweens for U.S. forces in a war with Iraq, a contingent that exile leaders hope will grow into the core of a new Iraqi army after Saddam Hussein is ousted. The recruits come from the U.S.-protected zone in northern Iraq and from among exiles in Iran and Europe. Training is scheduled to take place at Taszar air base, southwest of Budapest, under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army's European Command. "It is supposed to be an Iraqi force which Iraqi soldiers inside can join, instead of just surrendering to the Americans," said an Iraqi opposition official.
2002-12-18 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive