Muslim peace force nations demand coalition reduction

Muslim countries sounded out by Saudi Arabia about sending troops to Iraq are insisting on a big reduction in US and other coalition troops in any agreement.

As troops drawn from Muslim countries – most or all from outside the Middle East – took up positions in Iraq, there would be a parallel exodus of coalition soldiers, a senior Saudi official said.

Under the Saudi proposal floated this week, the Muslim force would serve in the name of the United Nations and would supplement US and other coalition troops by protecting UN officials and helping Iraqi security personnel patrol Iraq’s borders to slow the infiltration of foreign fighters.

For months, President George Bush’s administration has been unable to persuade any Muslim countries to commit troops to Iraq. The main obstacle was the perception that Arab or other Muslim governments would be contributing to a US occupation of Arab Iraq.

The Saudis, who privately dismiss any allegation that the United States wants a long-term presence as an occupying force in Iraq, are trying to counter that argument. A corresponding reduction in US and other coalition forces as Muslim troops arrived would help the Saudis make their case.

A partial American withdrawal also could have domestic political dividends in this US presidential election year, where sentiment against American peacekeeping operations is strong.

Some 900 US troops have died in Iraq. About 138,000 are there, backed by 22,000 troops from 31 other countries.

Secretary of state Colin Powell, in welcoming the Saudis’ efforts, said in Jeddah that many questions need to be answered about the idea, including an offsetting reduction in US and other coalition forces. Referring to the complex proposal, Powell said: “We’ll be examining it very, very closely.”

At the Pentagon, officials said the primary factors governing how many American troops were in Iraq were security and the wishes of the Iraqi government.

With Americans and Iraqis under sustained attack, the Bush administration has tried to shift a heavy share of security operations to Iraqis. Jordan has played a major role in training them.

There was a strong desire among Muslim countries to help Iraq, Adel al-Jubeir, foreign affairs adviser to Saudi Crown Price Abdullah, said in a telephone interview.

Still, he said, the governments approached by the Saudis and the Iraqis had been reluctant to make commitments.

The Bush administration has pledged to “stay the course” in Iraq but has not indicated how long US troops might remain or when they might be withdrawn.

Administration officials have made the point carefully that all troops in Iraq are guests of the interim Iraqi government, to which the United States granted sovereignty on June 28. Because of that, US officials say the Iraqis have the authority to tell the others to withdraw, but state department spokesman Adam Ereli this week described as far-fetched any notion that the interim Iraqi government would ask the United States to withdraw US troops.

Among Muslim countries being approached for contributions to a Muslim force are Pakistan, Bangladesh and Morocco. The Saudi official said the preliminary discussions had led the kingdom to conclude several requirements were necessary to improve chances of co-operation.

These, he said, included that the force be invited by the Iraqi government with support of the Iraqi people; that it be under a UN umbrella; that there would be a parallel reduction in US and other coalition troops; and that the United Nations would be responsible for the political process in Iraq, including the holding of elections.