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| Iraq |
| US awards 48-million-dollar contract to train Iraqi army |
| 2003-06-26 |
| The Pentagon has awarded a 48-million-dollar contract to train the nucleus of a new Iraqi army to Vinnell Corporation, a US firm which also trains members of the Saudi National Guard. Work on the contract announced Wednesday was to begin July 1. The Fairfax, Virginia-based company, a subsidiary of the US aerospace firm Northrup Grumman, said on its website it was hiring former US army and marine officers to train light infantry battalions and combat service support units for the new Iraqi army. The new army is expected to reach 12,000 troops within a year and swell to 40,000 within two years. Iraq's former standing army of some 400,000 soldiers was disbanded after US-led forces ousted the ruling Baath party regime in April. Creation of a new force became a priority for occupation officials amid continuing unrest and protests by cashiered former soldiers demanding to be paid. Vinnell has for the past 20 years trained members of Saudi Arabia's National Guard and those of other Middle Eastern military forces. Ten of the company's employees -- two Filipinos and eight US nationals -- were among those killed in May 12 suicide attacks on compounds for foreign workers in Riyadh. |
| Posted by:Domingo |