Free Republic

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari appealed Tuesday for NATO to quickly begin its promised mission to train his country's armed forces and provide assistance including military hardware. "We need this training ... to be carried out as soon as possible," Zebari told reporters at NATO headquarters. "We are in a race against time — it's a matter of urgency." NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the 26 allies would decide this month on launching the training mission. He said the alliance would also consider Zebari's requests for military equipment, help guarding Iraq's borders and protection...