Good for Nothing

Europe’s invaluable contribution to Free Iraq:

LUXEMBOURG (current holder of EU presidency): $196,000.

BELGIUM: $261,000 and five to ten driving instructors under German command for a training mission based in the UAE.

DENMARK: 10 trainers and seven soldiers for force protection. It also sent an assortment of pistols, radios, binoculars and other equipment for Iraq’s new army.

THE NETHERLANDS: 10 military police and 15 trainers already sent for the mission. It might send some more and contribute some money.

GREECE: $650,000.

What about Europe’s heavyweights?

FRANCE: set to train 1,500 Iraqi military police in Qatar, but probably outside
NATO’s mission. France may contribute to NATO fund for the mission.

SPAIN: plans to train groups of 25 Iraqis in mine clearance at a centre outside Madrid; several groups could be trained each year.

GERMANY: $652,000; plus it is training Iraqi military in UAE.

All told, that’s worth far less than Europeans paid into Saddam’s kickback fund during the halcyon days of Oil-for-Food.

Thanks, fellas.