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Iraq-Jordan
Iraq Said to Decline Muslim Peacekeepers
2004-10-19
Iraqi government officials and commanders of the U.S.-led military coalition killed a proposal by Saudi Arabia for a Muslim peacekeeping force in Iraq, the White House said Monday, citing concerns over who would be in charge. Responding to reports in two newspapers, spokesman Scott McClellan said the interim Iraqi government in Baghdad had "some real concerns" about having troops from a neighboring country inside Iraq. "The multinational force commanders also had some concerns about forces operating outside the chain of command," the White House spokesman said. Most of the multinational force commanders are Americans, as are the majority of forces. Newsday and the Los Angeles Times reported Monday that President Bush rebuffed what the newspapers called a plan that would have helped the United Nations organize elections in Iraq. Attributing the account to unidentified Saudi and Iraqi officials, Newsday said Crown Prince Abdullah and other Saudi leaders had lobbied Bush to approve the plan for a force of several hundred troops from Arab and Muslim countries to protect U.N. officials in Iraq.
I'll bet the UN workers on the ground are relieved.
Abdullah discussed the idea with Bush in a 10-minute telephone conversation July 18 after meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell, Newsday said. The force would have been controlled by the United Nations instead of by U.S. commanders. The initiative died last month despite acceptance by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan because the Muslim and Arab countries refused to work under U.S. command, Newsday said. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Monday he did not know if there was ever a "concrete proposal" for a Muslim force to protect U.N. officials. He said the Saudis floated the idea with the U.S., Iraqi and other governments. "I think we said, 'We'll see what happens to it,'" Boucher said. "Certainly we are happy to discuss this with people, but I am not sure it ever got as far as saying that there was actually a group of troops ready to deploy under certain conditions or circumstances. "It never really got off the ground," he said.

Last June, the Security Council authorized a separate U.N. protection force and Annan said governments would be asked to make contributions to it. Postwar Iraqi officials have long been cool to the idea of Muslim troops from neighboring countries but are open to troops from Muslim countries in North Africa and probably would accept troops from Pakistan, as well.
Posted by:Steve White

#7  Iraq doesn't need any more bossy foriegn arabs who's leaders will play mind games and may never leave even if asked.
Posted by: Cromorong Chomble7321   2004-10-19 1:37:39 PM  

#6  The Arab/Muslim Mindset:

Ahmed: We are always accused of not helping our Arab brethren in trouble.
Mahmoud: True.
Ahmed: We should change this perception.
Mahmoud: How.
Ahmed: We'll offer to intervene in Iraq to protect UN officials.
Mahmoud: Err....
Ahmed: Don't worry, the Americans will never accept the proposal.
Mahmoud: How so?
Ahmed: Because we'll stress that we will not accept US command over our forces. They wont want us to come in under those conditions. They'll reject the proposal.
Mahmoud: And next time we are criticised for not helping our Arab brethren we can point out that we tried but were rejected!
Ahmed: You catch on fast, Mahmoud.
Posted by: Bryan   2004-10-19 7:36:21 AM  

#5  CP Abudllah has never been a friend of the US, or any non-Islamic govt for that matter. Over the past years and most recently in the "terrorist" attacks on Western residential and office facilities in the Kingdom, there were nearly direct ties back to SANG units (weapons, vehicles and uniforms-guard rosters, etc).

No thx Abdullah.
Posted by: RN   2004-10-19 7:18:18 AM  

#4  Some Iraqi has a bit of sense. What a load of BS.
Posted by: beer_me   2004-10-19 3:32:08 AM  

#3  Incredibly stupid idea. Perfect response. This is the third or fourth time this shit has come up - Jordan made such an offer a month or so ago, just after a couple of their UN "contributions" went apeshit and murdered some unarmed US troops in Bosnia - shouting "Allahu Ackbar". Never heard how "The Hashemite King" resolved that little mistake, come to think of it. Stupidity must move in circles, since it gets repeated so often. The good thing is that Allawi isn't stupid.
Posted by: .com   2004-10-19 3:14:15 AM  

#2  As I recall, Saudi forces were found to be thoroughly infiltrated by Al Quada members and sympathizers. We don't need more of that kind of thing in Iraq, thenkyewveddymuch. Let them concentrate on cleaning their own houses, before they dirty ours.
Posted by: trailing wife   2004-10-19 3:00:34 AM  

#1  Well all I can say is "ain't just too stinking bad."

I guess Iraq and the US couldn't see allowing troops from the bankrollers of foreign jahidi and a source of jahidi into Iraq to help stir the pot even more. Thanks but no thanks.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2004-10-19 2:54:54 AM  

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