Struck Visits Troops in Abu Dhabi

The German armed forces controversial participation in training programs for some 120 Iraqi soldiers began in Abu Dhabi in November, with 30 German officers and non-commissioned officers providing training in conditions similar to those in Iraq.

Practice and theory

Once the training is over, the 100 five-ton tanks from Germany complete with replacement parts used in the program will shipped on to Iraq. To ensure they'll last that long, Iraqi trainees are also given talks on technical expertise, relayed via interpreters. Another contingent of Iraqi soldiers is receiving mechanical training to enable them to carry out tank maintenance.

The trainee program Peter Struck (photo) will be visiting is part of NATO's Iraqi aid package. The speed with which Germany began implementing the plan agreed in June is due first and foremost to Berlin's good ties with the United Arab Emirates, where German detectives have already been training Iraqi police for the last several months.

In both training programs, the two countries are sharing responsibilities -- with the United Arab Emirates providing military barracks and training grounds, organizing and funding the transport of Iraqi soldiers to Abu Dhabi and shipping trucks to Iraq.

Keeping Germans out of Iraq

As far as Berlin is concerned, the collaboration has one major advantage: German soldiers won't actually be deployed on Iraqi soil, but are nonetheless providing valuable aid. The German government has refused to deploy Bundeswehr soldiers in NATO units in the war-torn country, which means its training services are a welcome compromise.

In return, Iraqi troops are happy to take advantage of training programs in safe conditions, unlike their colleagues in Iraq who repeatedly find themselves the target of insurgent attacks. In fact, even Abu Dhabi is not entirely secure -- which is why participating soldiers remain anonymous and filming on the grounds is prohibited.

Extending aid?

The first training programs in the United Arab Emirates are set to wrap up by Christmas. Further military training projects are in the pipeline, with the Iraqi army expressing interest in Bundeswehr expertise in weapons clearance as well as engineering.

During Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's (photo) recent visit to Berlin, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder again offered the services of German troops in training Iraqi soldiers in weapons' clearance. This time, though, the program would take place in Germany.