WASHINGTON, July 28 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has discussed the possible deployment of Muslim troops in Iraq with Saudi officials, the State Department said.
Powell arrived in Saudi Arabia Wednesday.
The Saudi government has contacted several Muslim nations to discuss the deployment of a Muslim force in Iraq. Last week, Pakistani Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain visited the kingdom and later told reporters he also discussed such a deployment.
Pakistan has the largest army in the Islamic world and has agreed to participate in a force to protect the U.N. mission in Iraq if other Muslim nations also contribute troops.
U.S. officials, however, have said they do not want Iraq's neighbors to participate in the proposed force.
"We discussed some ideas tonight with the Saudis that they have been discussing with others, about how to facilitate the deployment of troops from Muslim countries not bordering on Iraq," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said.
"The goal that they have is to help the Iraqis establish security. It's a goal we support and we'll keep talking to them about it."
