Study: Iraqi Security Forces Not Ready

[Flabbergasted]

Forbes

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/09/05/ap4086202.html

Study: Iraqi Security Forces Not Ready
By ANNE FLAHERTY 09.05.07, 6:04 PM ET



WASHINGTON - Iraq's security forces will be unable to take control of the country in the next 18 months, and Baghdad's national police force is so rife with corruption it should be scrapped entirely, according to a new independent assessment.

The study, led by retired Marine Corps Gen. James Jones, is a sweeping and detailed look at Iraq's security forces that will factor heavily into Congress' upcoming debate on the war. Republicans see success by the Iraqi forces as critical to bringing U.S. troops home, while an increasing number of Democrats say the U.S. should stop training and equipping such units altogether.

The 20-member panel of mostly retired senior military and police officers concludes that Iraq's military, in particular its Army, shows the most promise of becoming a viable, independent security force with time. But the group predicts an adequate logistics system to support these ground forces is at least another two years away.

snip

These units "have the potential to help reduce sectarian violence, but ultimately the (Iraq Security Force) will reflect the society from which they are drawn," according to the report, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. "Political reconciliation is the key to ending sectarian violence in Iraq."

[Jacobin]

1. Oh, they're ready alright.

Iraqi nationals control the country and our troops live behind blast walls. They're so ready, we are about to be run out of their country. Oh, ya mean those 'troops' hired by the Iraqi 'government?'. Yeah, they won't die for the U.S. and they won't try to seriously undo what the Iraqi national troops have done

[spanone]

2. don't tell junior he thinks we're winning

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1740722

[JuniperLea]

3. Let him think that!

You know they are going to spin it to win regardless. I'd much rather he did it right now... why not go ahead and say, the surge worked! We won! Come on home, folks!

I for one support W's "victory" in Iraq. It's all in his head and can happen any time he wants.

[stillcool]

4. ah well...just another 12-18 months?

Commander Sees Shift In Role of U.S. Troops
Force Would Focus On Training Iraqis
By Bradley Graham
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 7, 2004; Page A01
CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar, Dec. 6 -- Army Gen. John P. Abizaid, the commander of U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf region, raised the possibility Monday that U.S. forces in Iraq could start to be reshaped as early as next year to reduce the number of combat troops and concentrate on the development of Iraqi security forces


Bush faults Iraqi forces
He acknowledges mixed results from U.S. training
David E. Sanger, Richard W. Stevenson, New York Times
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
(12-21) 04:00 PST Washington -- President Bush acknowledged on Monday that, 20 months after the fall of Saddam Hussein, the United States has encountered only "mixed" success in training Iraqi troops to secure the country and that it was "unacceptable" that some Iraqi units had fled as soon as they faced hostile fire.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/12/21/MNGQCAF5F41.DTL

Posted 3/28/2005 8:33 PM Updated 3/28/2005 8:39 PM
Iraqi troop training: signs of progress
By Peter Grier, The Christian Science Monitor
Due to missteps and a misjudgment about the strength of the insurgency at its onset, the U.S. really did not begin a concerted training effort until 10 months ago, said Cordesman. "The Iraqis actually involved in shaping Iraq's new forces are not pessimistic," he noted. "Most believe that Iraqi forces are growing steadily better with time, will acquire the experience and quality to deal with much of the insurgency during 2005, and should be able to secure much of the country by 2006."
Enough progress has apparently been made that U.S. officials are becoming more explicit about when American troops might start coming home. On Sunday, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, Army Gen. George Casey, predicted on CNN's "Late Edition" that the U.S. should be able to make a "very substantial reduction" in the number of forces within a year.
Copyright c 2005 The Christian Science Monitor. All rights
Iraqi troop training: signs of progress

House Passes Inslee Amendment to Lift Funding Limit on Iraqi Troop Training
Accelerates Replacement of American Troops with Iraqi Security Forces
20 June 2005
In an effort to bring American troops home sooner, U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee offered and successfully passed an amendment today to help fully fund the training and equipping of Iraqi and Afghan troops. Inslee's amendment removes the $500 million cap that had been placed in the Department of Defense (DOD) Appropriations Act to train, equip and provide assistance to security forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The DOD bill includes $45.3 billion for military operations in Iraq, yet placed limitations on the amount of money that could be spent on training a viable Iraqi security force. The House passed Inslee's amendment by a voice vote, without any objections.
http://www.house.gov/inslee/issues/iraq/iraq_troop_training.html


Huge Progress" Made In Training Iraq Troops : US General
Washington (AFP) Nov 07, 2005
"Huge progress" is being made in training Iraqi combat troops, and 24 homegrown battalions have now taken control of assigned territory, the general formerly in charge of the massive program said Monday.
Petraeus said that according to latest declassified figures, 40 battalions of Iraqi soldiers were capable of leading counter insurgency operations with the help of US or coalition troops.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-03-28-Iraqi-troops-progress_x.htm

[Flabbergasted]

5. 12 to 18 years?

[stillcool]

6. more like it...

I wonder how long it takes to get the all the oil out of the ground.