SPACE WIRE
US commanders hiring Arabic-speakers for press
AS-SALIYAH, Qatar (AFP) Apr 07, 2003
 The British have decided there is no need but the Americans at US Central Command's Iraq war headquarters here are hiring Arabic-speaking military spokespeople.

James Clad, the US official overseeing the move, said three Arabic speakers would be added to the team of official spokespeople at the Command's Qatar headquarters beginning on Thursday.

But a British official said their Arabic speaker had been sent home after judging that his presence was unneeded.

Only a handful of Arabic-language journalists are among the dwindling press contingent at the Command centre.

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