US forces hand over security to Iraqi army in capital

[ECH1969]

BAGHDAD, 2 March (IRIN) - The US army handed over authority in several areas of the capital, Baghdad, to the 40th Brigade of the Iraqi army last week, Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials said. The US military has already begun to transfer authority to Iraqi security forces in 14 of 18 provinces in the country. Coalition force officials told IRIN that they believed the Iraqi army had now reached advanced stages of training.

Iraqi soldiers will now be responsible for patrolling the streets of the capital in order to reduce the US presence in the city. "We believe that it's the best choice. It will give the opportunity for the Iraqis to take care of their own country and at the same time civilians will be more satisfied in seeing their own brothers taking care of them," Brig. Gen. Brian Smith, a senior Coalition force official, told IRIN. "We will be ready in our bases for any special case," he added.

According to Smith, some provinces, such as Anbar and Salah al-Din in central Iraq, still required the presence of the US-led Coalition troops due to insurgency in the area. But he added that many areas in the capital which had witnessed terrorism, like Haifa street, Adamiyah and the Bataween districts, had already been handed over to the country's army.

People in the capital have started to show signs of acceptance of the handover. "I love the new decision, at least you will have someone like you, your brother from your nationality looking after the streets of our city. It's really difficult for us to watch US troops looking at us and giving the impression that they own our country," Sae'ed Abbas, a shopkeeper in Allawi district of the capital

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/4b1e14c2de4d7da5b40123744d0d005f.htm
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Seems like cutting and running to me.

[cthrumatrix]

1. BUT...it will take years for them and others to be trained = not leaving

[wtmusic]

2. The waiting game

1. US crows about its success in bringing stability, leaves area.
2. Insurgency returns resulting in massive casualties.
3. US mounts major offensive to restore order.
4. Insurgency lays low.
5. Repeat for 8-10 years.

[DulceDecorum]

3. In other words, the US just threw in the towel

which hopefully means that the slaughter of the Iraqi people will now abate.

[Cocoa]

5. I think they're shifting to the Salvador option

funding, arming and advising Shiite militias, who have begun engaging the Sunnis in the Iraqi Civil War.

One news service, Knight-Ridder, is reporting on the early phases of that civil war...

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/nation/11009685.htm

[AFSCME girl]

4. Yup....

I heard a story on NPR this morning about this. I was running around getting ready for work, so I wasn't paying attention too closely. The gist I got out of it is that there are not nearly enough Iraqis trained yet for this transfer and that there remains much work yet to be done for a complete transfer to occur.

[booksenkatz]

6. They'll be "taking care of" each other, alright

That phrase has several definitions!

[ladjf]

7. We keep "handing over" things to the Iraqis and they still

have nothing. They don't control their oil, government, security, constitution. They control nothing. The sham continues. When is it all going to end.

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Is this the old 'cut and run' from prior US adventures?

[The_Casual_Observer]

9. "reduce the US presence in the city" - reduce the deaths of US

military in the city, with a proportional increase in deaths of Iraq forces. Who are they kidding?

[Demeter]

10. Another Meaningless Gesture, More Lives at Risk

Doesn't it get old? Days after 115 dead and 135 or more injured by a car bomb, we're handing the place over to the Iraqis. That's right, it's safe for newbies to run.

Then again, maybe with the US out of there, things will quiet down.

Naaaah!

[goodboy]

11. In other words: US tired of being shot at, says Iraqis should be shot at

too.

[LynnTheDem]

12. The Great American Super-Power can't control Baghdad, so give the job

to the untrained ill-equipped Iraqi "army".

In other words, CUT AND RUN.

[daleo]

13. This seems to be for appearance's sake.

The British always allowed local flunkies to do most of the day to day policing, too. But, if they start acting like they own their own country, Bushco will quickly set them straight.

That being said, it is also possible that Bushco is retreating to the "guard the green zone and the pipelines, and to hell with rest" strategy. It would fit in with the use of remotely detonated claymores as well (which was in a story yesterday).

[dbt]

14. Wow. IRAQNAMIZATION.

Wonder if it'll work as well for bu$h as it did for LBJ?

[bemildred]

15. Right, and the Easter Bunny lays choclate eggs on your lawn. nt