Vol. 577 No. 1
92 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on reports (details supplied) that the United States is planning to set up a paramilitary battalion in Iraq drawn from the five main political parties and concerns that this would be legitimising militias. [30510/03]
I am aware that there have been newspaper reports that the US is planning to set up a paramilitary battalion in Iraq drawn from the five main political parties to help American troops fighting a fast-spreading insurgency. It is also reported that news of the plan drew criticism from independent Iraqi political figures who argued that the party-based militias would undermine the country's long-term stability. The department of defence of the United States is at present refusing to either confirm or deny the reports. The establishment of responsible internal security and police forces in Iraq is an integral part of the transfer of sovereignty. As the only information available on the cited plan at present is unconfirmed media reports, I am unable to take a definite view without greater details.
