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DATE=10/28/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IRAQ OPPOSITION TRAINING - L
NUMBER=2-255574
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  The U-S military is set to start training some 
members of the Iraqi opposition to Saddam Hussein next 
week.  V-O-A's Jim Randle reports from the Pentagon, 
where officials say the classes are small and the 
training academic - for the time being.
TEXT:  Air Force officials say four members of the 
opposition to Saddam Hussein are set to begin training 
next week at a U-S Air Force Special Operations school 
in Florida.
Major Thomas Hudd says that rather than creating 
skilled warriors, instructors will focus on the 
problems of organizing a military force in an emerging 
state, relations between military and civilian 
officials, and human rights concerns.
            ///  Hudd Act ///
      Jumping out of airplanes and things like that - 
      that is military training.  This is an 
      education. This is schoolhouse, and the courses 
      we teach here are basically academic background.
            /// End Act ///
Pentagon officials say they plan to train more members 
of the Iraqi opposition in the future, and they do not 
rule out future classes in war-fighting skills.
The U-S military is also making two million dollars in 
surplus equipment available to the Iraqi opposition, 
though for the time being it consists of office 
supplies instead of weapons.
While the effort appears small so far, it represents a 
big change from previous policy that saw the Pentagon 
keeping its distance from the fractious opposition 
groups that want to topple Iraqi leader Saddam 
Hussein.
The program is the first visible step toward complying 
with a law passed by the Republican-dominated U-S 
Congress that requires the Pentagon to promote 
opposition Saddam's regime by providing nearly 100 
million dollars in surplus military equipment to seven 
opposition groups designated by the President. 
(Signed). 
NEB/JR/LTD/JP
28-Oct-1999 12:43 PM EDT (28-Oct-1999 1643 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.