US trains local force to join Iraq invasion

Military planners preparing for a possible invasion of Iraq have been told to make provision for an accompanying force of up to 5,000 Iraqis trained and equipped by the US. Their presence is considered so politically important, according to one source, that no attack is being contemplated until they are ready, "and that cannot happen until early January".

Last month the Pentagon confirmed that Iraqi opposition groups had been asked to nominate 10,000 men to undergo American military training. According to sources in Britain and the US, their main purpose will be to provide security for a new civilian government in Baghdad, although some are also to be trained for possible work with US special forces as observers and target-spotters.

"This reflects the experience of the US and Britain in Afghanistan, where security for the new government is still very fragile," said a military consultant to the Pentagon. "In Afghanistan the special forces worked with the Northern Alliance as they pinpointed targets for air attack, but in Iraq they will have to bring local assistance with them."

A senior State Department official said the names provided by Iraqi groups are being security-checked by the US, amid fears that Saddam Hussein's regime could seek to infiltrate the army with spies. About 5,000 men, mainly Kurds from northern Iraq, are likely to be selected for training, which will last from as little as six weeks to 16 weeks.

The rank and file would be given military police training, – "literally how to arrest someone, how to break up a bar fight". Where the training is to take place has not been disclosed, but a Pentagon spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Dave LePan, said discussions were continuing with several European countries. It has been suggested that US bases in Germany could be used.

Having uniformed Iraqis alongside the Americans and their allies would clearly help to allay concern among Iraq's Arab neighbours in the event of an invasion, but Daniel Neep, head of Middle East studies at the Royal United Services Institute in London, believed their usefulness on the ground could be limited.

"If the aim is to use them to pacify Baghdad, it will be very difficult to persuade Kurds to go there," he said. Nor would they be welcomed by the Arab majority in the capital. The Americans would be reluctant to allow armed Shia Muslims from the south to occupy Baghdad, Mr Neep added, fearing that they could become an arm of Iran."

The Washington Post reported yesterday that the long debate over the UN resolution sending weapons inspectors to Iraq has already begun to affect Pentagon planning for an attack, since officials do not want to leave too many troops languishing in the desert. Administration infighting over the approach to Iraq, which has already lasted for months, is not expected to stop now that the resolution has been passed.

The steady build-up of US force in the Gulf region will continue, however, and Britain is expected to issue mobilisation orders within days. General Tommy Franks, who will command any attack on Iraq, is due in Qatar later this month for a "command and control" exercise.