France, Germany, Belgium, and Spain have relented, and will now allow NATO troops to help train Iraqi security forces and the new Iraqi army. (I suppose the French troops are too busy directing traffic. The Germans are the traffic. Belgium is the road.) They won't help pay, either, which does prompt one to ask what they're actually offering the alliance in the first place. Still, at least they're permitting the Official NATO Imprimatur to go on those troop from countries who do want to participate.

One of Kerry's talking points is about allies. He's said a couple of time that "it doesn't have to be troops, there are other ways of contributing." Or at least, of not standing in the way.