Nelson: Send in more Iraqis

The disproportionate number of American soldiers being killed in Iraq compared to the number of Iraqi soldiers being killed is becoming a major concern for U.S. Senator Ben Nelson.

"We've apparently trained 135,000 troops to go over there and fight," he said. "We've trained around 230,000 Iraqi (policemen), and yet there are more U.S. troops killed than Iraqi. I don't see the Iraqi(s) on the front lines the way they should be."

Nelson said Washington's plan for the war in Iraq may not have been as well designed and successful as the administration had hoped.

Planned deployments are being changed, the senator said. Additional troops are being deployed while the ones scheduled to come home can't.

Nelson revealed a two-tier plan he believes the U.S. should follow to prepare the nation for a peaceful transfer of power.

"NATO forces need to be added to lessen the reliance on US National Guard and Reserve," he said. Once NATO is in place, the United Nations needs to participate in the June 30 deadline for transitioning the government.

Nelson addressed his concerns during a telephone call with the McCook Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee, Thursday morning.