Egypt says US ignores offer to train Iraqi troops

[allemand]

By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Egypt has repeatedly offered to train tens of thousands of Iraqi forces but Washington ignored this offer and chose instead to criticize Cairo for not doing enough, Egypt's envoy to the United States said.

The United States has consistently accused Arab countries, including Egypt, of not doing enough to stabilize and rebuild Iraq, but Egyptian Ambassador Nabil Fahmy said on Thursday this criticism was unfounded. (...)

Fahmy said he offered Egypt's help in troop training during discussions with officials from the Pentagon, the State Department and members of Congress but they gave no response.

"It's got to the point that I have stopped begging," he said. "It's mind-boggling," he added.

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051215/pl_nm/iraq_egypt_usa_dc_1

[karynnj]

1. At Rice's confirmation hearing, in early 2005, Kerry

told her that Jordan, Eqypt, Germany and France all offered to train large numbers of Iraqis. He mentioned it again this fall, when Rice finally returned to speak to the SFRC - the Bush administration doesn't want to train out of country.