Jordan, Yemen eye risk in Iraq offer

AMMAN, Jordan -- Jordan and Yemen have offered troops to Iraq, a major policy shift that could be an attempt to encourage other Arab and Muslim nations to help the country's new US-backed government restore security.

But the risks are considerable if Jordan and Yemen are seen taking up arms against the Iraqis, or if Iraq's neighbors, like Turkey and Iran, who have influence or ambitions in that country, also offer forces.

Iraq's new authorities have been opposed to neighboring states, particularly Iran, Turkey, and Syria, sending troops. But the offers from Iraq's western neighbor, Jordan, and Yemen will be welcome in the United States, which has led a coalition of 33 countries -- none of them Arab -- in trying to secure postwar Iraq.

In Britain, Jordan's King Abdullah II said he was willing to send troops to Iraq. It was unclear what role Jordanian troops would serve, but Jordan has offered to train Iraqi soldiers and police in Jordan.

''I presume that if the Iraqis ask us for help directly, it would be very difficult for us to say no," Abdullah told the British Broadcasting Corp. on Thursday. ''Our message to the president or the prime minister is: Tell us what you want. Tell us how we can help, and you have 110 percent support from us."

Abdullah's foreign minister, Marwan Muasher, said yesterday that Jordan has doubts about deploying soldiers. Abdullah was ''clear that we don't think that sending troops from neighboring states is the right thing to do," Muasher said. He declined to elaborate.

Yemen announced yesterday that it was willing to send peacekeepers to Iraq, but only if they were part of a UN-controlled force. The UN Security Council adopted a resolution June 8 authorizing the multinational force to remain in Iraq. The resolution paved the way for other nations.

The force is led by the United States, and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan repeatedly has ruled out sending UN peacekeeping troops to Iraq.

Jordanian political analyst Labib Kamhawi said Jordan, like other Arab states, first refused to send troops to Iraq, but the US-led coalition's transfer of sovereignty to Iraq's interim government ''requires a local facade, which means that Arab and Muslim contribution is now a top priority."

''Jordan may not necessarily send troops," Kamhawi said, ''but it is opening the door for others to say or do the same because the time has come to give the US occupation in Iraq a facelift."

White House spokesman Scott McClellan refused to say whether Washington expects Jordanian and Yemeni troop deployments to Iraq.