NATO agreed this week to set up a training mission for the Iraqi military in what the official called a "significant" sign of progress since US-led invasion splintered the alliance last year, but Washington fears Berlin's position may erode new-found fragile unity, the official said.

Germany, along with fellow anti-war NATO members Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Spain, went along with the decision to set up the Baghdad training mission but have refused to permit their officers stationed at NATO's two operations bases to participate, the official said.

"Frankly, a number of us have been surprised by this," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity at the State Department, suggesting that the position smacked of obstinateness and a refusal to fully support the interim Iraqi government in its time of need.

The official noted pointedly that the five had supported the creation of the training mission and had professed to want to help stabilize post-war Iraq despite rancorous differences over the war and said their decision to "opt-out" their NATO-seconded officers was unprecedented.

"I believe this is the first time this kind of thing has happened," the official said.

The official said no one expected Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg or Spain to contribute troops from their own national armies to the training mission, which will send about 400 allied officers to train senior Iraqi commanders and 1,100 to 1,200 soldiers to protect the operation.

But, he said, the United States and others had been stunned when the five, led by Germany, refused to allow their officers who are now stationed at alliance bases in Mons, Belgium and Norfolk, Virginia to participate in the program.

"These are NATO officers under NATO command and they should follow orders from NATO commanders," the official said.

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