HUNGARY: US military instructors have begun training Iraqi exiles at a base in Hungary to help US troops liaise with civilians and non-governmental agencies in case of a war in Iraq, a US army spokesman said yesterday.
"The volunteers will be trained in a variety of important and necessary skills in support of the coalition forces in the event of a potential war with Iraq," said US Maj Robert Stern, based at the Taszar military base, 200 kilometres south of the capital, Budapest.
The training of up to 3,000 Iraqi exiles is to be held over two maximum 90-day sessions, according to a deal between the two governments. Maj Stern said the US was acting under the Iraqi Liberation Act, passed by the US Congress in 1997, which allocated up to $97 million (€90 million) for training and equipping Iraqi opposition groups.
The first phase would focus on basic skills such as self-defence, the law of armed conflict including the Geneva Conventions, and human rights, Maj Stern said. The second phase would focus on civilian-military operations since the Iraqi exiles' major role would "be to facilitate communication between the coalition forces and private volunteer organisations that may come to Iraq". "In the event of a conflict there will be a need to assist the people of Iraq in a helpful manner," Maj Stern said.
The first group of volunteers, "a few dozen" according to Hungarian defence sources, arrived last week.
Maj Stern said the volunteers were being paid but did not provide details. -