Posted on 08/22/2004 6:44:48 PM PDT by Flavius
WASHINGTON [MENL] -- Iraq's security forces, ordered to prepare for an offensive against the Mahdi Army in Najaf, have been plagued by a desertion rate that exceeded 80 percent.
A U.S. report warned that Iraqi Interior Ministry troops remain unprepared to fight Shi'ite or Sunni insurgents and could not be deemed reliable. The report, published before the current showdown in Najaf, said the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps, renamed the Iraqi National Guard, has not been trained to fight insurgents armed with rocket-propelled grenades and heavy weapons.
"Effective Iraqi security forces are critical for transitioning security responsibilities to Iraq," the Government Accounting Office, the investigative arm of the Congress, said in a report. "However, Iraqi security forces proved unready to take over security responsibilities from the multinational force, as demonstrated by their collapse during April 2004."
The United States was said to have spent $1.2 billion in developing Iraq's security forces, which now number around 220,000. The Iraqi units include the military, police and Interior Ministry forces.
Allawi is making me think of Kerry... Sometimes tough, too often weak... And highly ineffective.
This is all part of the work in developing a fledgling nation. Our forces weren't that developed during the Revolutionary War, considering only 30% supported the entire war effort. So, this is a mere bump in a line of potholes to contend with.
They are not fighting other Iraqis, they are fighting Iranian agents and mercenaries.
Once this truth is divulged to the people of Iraq, they will start to get mad as hell.
Still, it's frustrating.
Of course it's frustrating. If we get Iran under control, that'll make things a lot easier in the region and stabilize Iraq even quicker.
That was how Allawi ended up in exile, as a former Baathist and fearless campaigner for democracy etc.
Then we ought to declare a U.S. protectorate in the Kurdish north and east of the Tigris, a coalition protectorate in the narrow coast from the Tigris to the Kuwait border, evacuate anyone who has been friendly to us and let the Shiites and Sunis have their civil war. I'm damn sick and tired of seeing American and Allied lives sacraficed to Muslim sensibilities.
Our forces weren't saddled with Islam.
No, but it's merely the point that we were in the process of developing a nation with far less support.
Maybe we should only pay them at the end of the month!
Yes, but....I don't believe that we had so many "enemies within" like there are in Iraq. The tribal mind-set in Iraq and most of the ME allows for many enemies within.
Make that numbering around 44,000. They should stick every one of these guys with a US Marine and make them eat, sleep and sh~t together for 6 months.
Well, let's take the remaining 20% and go and finish this Sadr for good.
Too bad we can't take Sunni Muslims and make them provide security in Shiite areas, and vice versa.
It would work better if we took over the entire Middle East and just started moving people around. Station recruits in places other than their home towns and areas.
I am starting to agree.
Do you guys actually believe this crap?? Come on!!
These are the same clowns that portrayed the US armed forces were in a quagmire 2 weeks into the war. The foreign press is no friend to the US. REMEMBER, the want the US to FAIL. Don't buy into this!! In fact, flip it on its head. The Mahdi army is on it's last prayer. US tanks are 100 yards from the holy mosque. Not the other way around. I for one laugh when I hear this CRAP.
The US can erase half the middle east off the face of the earth in a NY minute. If anything, the US has shown poise and political savvy by letting this thing play out. The question is: Where is Mookie?
Which is precisely how the Ottoman Turks handled the problem.
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