MOS: Kurdish Affairs

Iraq-born Kurds living in the US find a new way to fight Saddam. Congress approved $92 million to train 3,000 exiled Iraqis in December, and Kurdish Californians, at stingy government pay rates of $1,000 a month, are getting trained for the invasion. This article doesn't make clear how extensive their training is (there's a vague reference to "basic military skills"), but includes an interesting comment from Fares, a young cosmetology student (Hey, don't ask, don't tell!), who is planning on entering Iraq with American forces:

Fares was living in Baghdad in 1991 when he says the first Bush administration made a strategic blunder all Iraqis have paid for: "Life was going to be beautiful. They were supposed to continue until Baghdad, to kick him out. They made a mistake. Ever since, the people have suffered."

He dismisses the dire predictions of a bloodbath in the streets of Baghdad if U.S. troops invade.

"Nobody is going to fight," he said. "(The Iraqi soldiers) are waiting for this moment. When they hear America is going to bomb, they are going to throw their weapons away.