Questions Over Int'l Force for Iraq

Questions were growing on Monday over the funding and composition of the 30,000 additional international troops the US expects to see deployed in Iraq by September.

The Bush administration is desperately seeking international help to boost US and UK forces in Iraq, in an attempt to broaden the operation and take the pressure off its own troops.

The Pentagon says it has received pledges for an additional 30,000 personnel, to be available by September, but will not say who will provide them.

So far, the only commitment has been a pledge by eight European countries to provide some 5,500 troops to help police — mostly in the British sector in southern Iraq — and the deployment by September of 9,200 troops in northern Iraq under Polish command.

Jerzy Nowak, Poland's ambassador to Nato, said: "We are determined to implement the plan despite some difficulties in logistics, training and financing."

But both deployments have been hampered by logisitical and training difficulties. Poland surprised its Nato and European Union allies by announcing in May it would be commanding one of the stabilisation zones in Iraq, but had to revise its plans, resorting to Nato for assistance when it realised it lacked the necessary expertise and experience.

Nato agreed to provide the military planning but will not send any troops, despite calls from both Democrats and Republicans in Washington for greater involvement.