Germany to Send Armored Cars to Iraq

Germany will provide around 20 armored vehicles to the Iraqi army and send a first batch to the United Arab Emirates for training purposes, German newsmagazine Der Spiegel said on Tuesday in its on-line edition. The weekly added that the German security council, made up of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and senior ministers, made the decision over the past week and that the lower house of parliament's foreign affairs committee would discuss the move on Wednesday. It said a number of the Fuchs vehicles, which are mainly for troop transport but can be outfitted for other purposes, would be sent to the UAE so Iraqi troops can train in their use and maintenance. The vehicles are ideal for use in desert conditions. In the past, Germany had planned to send around 100 trucks to the region so that Iraqi troops could train with them. It has also been helping train police and Iraqi soldiers in the UAE and Jordan. (AFP)