Iraqi Army endures desertions

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http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/13395684.htm

ADHAIM, Iraq - A week after a sophisticated ambush killed 19 Iraqi soldiers, U.S. and Iraqi commanders are fighting back hard: They are rushing to complete a base for hundreds of Iraqi soldiers here and have warned the local police chief and mayor to cooperate or get out.

But the Dec. 3 ambush - the deadliest attack on Iraqi soldiers in months - has proved a rude cautionary tale, indicating just how entrenched the resistance to Iraqi forces is in parts of the country.

It has also exposed the nascent Iraqi army's continuing need for substantial U.S. support - and the dangers of putting newly trained Iraqi troops into tough combat situations before they are fully tested.

In this religiously and ethnically mixed province of Diyala, more than 75 Iraqi troops have been killed since Sept. 1 alone, according to security and hospital officials. snip

Desertion has now become a problem too: Of 209 Iraqi soldiers from their battalion on leave or vacation at the time of the attack, 49 have not returned to duty since, Hall said.