Bush aims to boost funds for PA

The American government has asked the country's Congress to approve a plan that would expand the training of officers loyal to PA Head Mahmoud Abbas.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has asked Congress to approve an increase of $25 million to create a new battalion that would be trained in Jordan.

U.S. General Keith Dayton will be in the charge of the program. Training of the PA's first battalion, which consists of more than 700 members, commenced a month and a half ago. The battalion is expected to return to the West Bank in May and then to be armed and deployed in June.
The new battalion will begin training in May.

Dayton's objective is to form five new battalions for the PA under Abbas' control in the West Bank.