JEDDAH,
July 29 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Saudi Arabia has
proposed the creation of an Islamic force for deployment in Iraq, an
overture welcomed by the US and the Iraqi interim government but
expected to draw ire of Muslims opposed to the US-led occupation of
the oil-rich country.
Saudi
Crown Prince Abdullah discussed the initiative on Wednesday, July 28,
with visiting US Secretary of State Colin Powell, reported the Washington
Post on Thursday, July 29.
The
issue was also raised during a 10-minute telephone conversation
between the Saudi leader and US President George Bush, according to
sources familiar with the conversation.
Saudi
Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal told reporters he and Powell had a
"preliminary discussion" on the idea but would not say who
might contribute or what conditions might be attached.
According
to the Washington Post, Faisal discussed specifics of the idea
with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan last week in Vienna.
Saudi
officials said they launched the initiative to address mounting
concerns in the Islamic world about the ongoing deployment of the
US-led forces in Iraq as well as Saudi Arabia's own security concerns.
"We're
taking this initiative because we want to help the Iraqi people get
back on their feet and reclaim their sovereignty as quickly as
possible," said Adel Jubeir, chief foreign policy adviser to
Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdel-Aziz, who also held talks with Powell.
"We're
doing this because instability in Iraq has a negative impact on Saudi
Arabia and stability in Iraq has a very positive impact on Saudi
Arabia. We want to stabilize the situation in Iraq," he added.
The
Saudi proposal involves contributions of troops from across the Muslim
world but not from Iraq's neighbors, which Iraqi officials have said
they would not welcome.
While
US and Saudi officials would not name nations that might be asked to
send forces, likely candidates include Pakistan, Bangladesh, Algeria,
Morocco and Indonesia.
A
senior Saudi official, who requested anonymity, said a UN mandate,
from existing resolutions or a new resolution, would be needed,
reported Reuters.
Welcomed
 |
|
"I
call upon the leaders of the Islamic countries and the Arab
countries to close ranks," said Allawi after talks with
Powell (AFP)
|
Iraqi
interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and Powell met in Saudi Arabia on
Thursday, July 29, and welcomed the proposal of the Islamic force.
"I
call upon the leaders of the Islamic countries and the Arab countries
to close ranks," Allawi said after the talks.
Allawi,
who also held talked with Saudi officials, embraced the initiative,
calling on Arab and Muslim nations to join the proposed force.
Powell,
for his part, said the proposed Muslim force could provide protection
to the United Nations in Iraq.
A
senior State Department official traveling with Powell said Washington
was interested in exploring specifics of the plan.
He
initially described the Islamic force as "supplemental" but
later retracted that and said the force could help "lower the
demand" for the US-led forces, according to Washington Post.
A
deployment by Muslim nations would be a public relations coup
for the US, which has seen its led forces in Iraq reduced by
the withdrawal of the Philippines, Spain, the Dominican
Republic, Nicaragua and Honduras.
Popular
Opposition
The
idea - somewhat surprising given the reluctance of Muslim and Arab
nations to send forces to Iraq so far – could shore up the US-led
occupation forces, now facing a wave of attacks in the chaotic
country, said Reuters.
The
Saudis appear to be betting that Muslim populations will support
sending their troops to Iraq if they are seen as replacing US-led
forces rather than propping up the US occupation of Iraq.
But
the BBC correspondent traveling with Powell, said it might be
difficult to gain support for the plan from the public in many Muslim
countries, who angrily opposed the US-led invasion and occupation of
Iraq.
She
noted the deployment will much depend on the mandate under which it
would operate and it would also have to be invited by the interim
Iraqi government.
The
BBC correspondent suggested it might help if the deployment of Muslim
troops was seen as part of a broader process of the gradual withdrawal
of US-led forces.
Many
in the US public might also support the idea of their troops
extricating themselves from Iraq as soon as possible and returning
home, she added.
It
is feared the deployment could also drag Muslim troops into the
cauldron of Iraqi violence.
After
a brief lull following the June 28 US handover of power, Iraqi
fighters have stepped up car bombings, assassinations and kidnappings
mainly targeting nationals of countries that have troops in Iraq.
There
are about 160,000 foreign troops in Iraq, roughly 140,000 of them from
the United States, which invaded the oil-rich Arab country last year
allegedly to search for weapons of mass destruction, none of which
have been found so far.
