Bahrain offers to help Iraqi security
Bahrain’s king said today that that his tiny Gulf kingdom is ready to send a naval force to help safeguard Iraqi territorial waters, if asked by the new Iraqi government, the official Bahrain News Agency reported.
The announcement by Sheik Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa made Bahrain the second Arab state to offer troops to Iraq without precondition.
“Bahrain is ready to resume its contributions wth naval forces to help secure the Iraqi waters and also train the Iraqi forces in this field if the new Iraqi government asked for it,” Sheik Hamad announced while visiting the general-directorate of the Bahrain Defence Force.
Bahrain is a close ally of the United States and home for the US 5th Fleet.
On Thursday, Jordan’s King Abdullah II said his country might become the first Arab state to send troops to Iraq, if that country asked for help.
Yemen also said it would send peacekeeping forces, but only as part of a UN-controlled force and not until US-led coalition forces have left the country.
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