Georgia To Boost Iraq Deployment To 2,000

Georgia says it is planning to raise the number of Georgian troops serving with U.S.-led forces in Iraq to more than 2,000, up from the current 850.

AP reports that the news is contained in a statement attributed to President Mikheil Saakashvili and released by the Georgian Embassy in Washington.

The announcement said Georgia would commit the troops to Iraq for one year, and Georgian officials were consulting with their U.S. and Iraqi counterparts about how the Georgian forces will be deployed.

Saakashvili is quoted as saying the next year will be "decisive" in terms of stabilizing the situation in Iraq.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Georgia's U.S. Ambassador David Sikharulidze said Georgia hopes the contribution will help Georgia's efforts to join NATO.

Sikharulidze said Georgia wants to show that it can be not only a consumer, but also a provider, of security.

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