Posted on 01/26/2005 1:32:37 PM PST by areafiftyone
BAGHDAD, Iraq - The top American commander in Iraq on Wednesday said U.S.-trained Iraqi security forces were still not ready to take over the counterinsurgency and there was no guarantee they will ever be able to defeat it on their own. Gen. George Casey said the 130,000 Iraqi police and soldiers still lack leaders to direct them in a fight against rebels, and local police forces who've deserted in the thousands in the face of intimidation and withering assaults by guerrillas remain a key weak point. Training and equipping Iraqi troops to eventually take the lead role here is a central pillar in U.S. efforts to rein in insurgents and eventually pull American and other foreign troops out of the country. But the Iraqi forces have been criticized for poor training and lack of leadership. "Can I sit here and look you in the eye and say that the Iraqi security forces guaranteed 100 percent are going to be able to defeat this insurgency by themselves? Of course not," Casey said. "From what I've seen in the seven months that I've been here, I believe that we can achieve capable Iraqi security forces over a period of time that can deal with the Iraqi insurgency that's here." British Prime Minister Tony Blair said in an interview published Wednesday that U.S.-led coalition forces and Iraqi officials will begin discussing the handover of security responsibilities to Iraqi forces after Sunday's national elections. Blair did not set out a clear timetable for the transfer, telling the Financial Times newspaper that the move would come only when Iraqi forces are up to the job.' But he said the coalition was "looking with the Iraqis now at what are the timelines for the Iraqi-ization to be achieved." After the election, "we have got to sit down with the new government and look at how we manage the transition," Blair was quoted as saying. "There are areas where we would be able to hand over to those Iraqi forces. Remember, 14 out of the 18 provinces in Iraq are relatively peaceful and stable." The elections will be a key test, as Iraqi troops take the commanding role in efforts to secure the vote. The stakes are high. Insurgents have pledged to shower polling stations with mortar fire, car bombs and gunfire in an effort to derail the election for a 275-member National Assembly. "There's going to be violence on election day, but millions of Iraqis are going to vote on Jan. 30, and to me that's extremely significant. You're going to see the continued triumph of democracy over tyranny," Casey told reporters in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone. Casey, who commands all multinational forces in Iraq, said that after the election U.S. trainers and advisers will work more closely with Iraqi forces, focusing on building senior division and brigade level leadership. "The weak pole in the tent right now is the local police," Casey acknowledged. In November, a 5,000-member police force in the northern city of Mosul fled their posts as fighting swept the city. U.S. trainers have modified eight-week programs to focus on fighting an insurgency that Casey says has gotten more organized in recent months. "Now are they capable of taking over the counterinsurgency campaign themselves right now today? The answer's no," Casey said. Iraqi forces still lack the ability to develop an intelligence network, draw up combat plans and support them logistically and even to defend the institution of the army itself, the general said. "We cannot stay here forever in the numbers that we're here now. ... Iraqis have to take ownership over this," Casey said. The general put the number of Iraqi police and army forces at 130,000, although some U.S. lawmakers complain that only a small percentage can be described as well-trained. "You can get into a debate about are they fully trained," Casey said. "Well, what do you mean by fully trained? ... What's important is they're in the fight." The Pentagon has said it ultimately hopes to train about 135,000 Iraqi police and 85,000 army troops. Casey wouldn't venture a guess on how many rebel fighters remain. He said 15,000 have been captured or killed over the past year.
..."...The weak pole in the tent right now is the local police,"...
..the biggest, most important pole.
It's their country. They will have to learn on the job.
Well, we'll find out if he is correct...
It seems to me the headline is misleading. If you tie his whole statement together it leaves a different, less pessimistic impression.
Why would the MSM want to give that impression? -sarcasm
"He said 15,000 have been captured or killed over the past year. "
Don't train them too much. We may need to whup them again.
I guess my only question is why is an Infantry General leading this effort and not a Special Forces General?
I have a radical idea. How about we buy the Iraqi goverment a few millions dollars worth of radio and tv station equipment over the next of 3 months. Then, we begin withdrawing our troops whether they are ready or not.
Afterwards, the Iraqi goverment goes on air 24/7 and recruits their local populace to turn in tips on the terrorists. Please do not tell me that groups of 1,000 half-trained Iraqi regulars with AK-47's cannot find and destroy groups of 50 half-trained terrorist with AK-47's. I see us being there after the elections as self-defeating, because that is part of the claim of the jihad terrorist that they have to kill the infidel and those who "help" the infidel. The populace needs to be broadcasted to day and night to realize their is no infidel, only a bunch of terrorists killing the Iraqi people for their own stupid causes.
Iraqi has the second largest oil reserves on the planet. That means the country and newly elected goverment can create massive wealth to create a well-equipped, volunteer army over time.
Well, one of the criteria would be how many do you trust or have confidence in to have issued weapons to?
The main problem with that is that the groups of "1000 half-trained regulars", mainly Kurdish and Shiite, are likely to take up the most natural policy, intimidating the local Sunni population through atrocities, or simply driving them out, AKA "ethnic cleansing".
This is a time-honored practice and the most typical development in such situations where militia fights against militia. And it is likely to be quite effective.
But it is likely to embarass the US, no matter how effective it is.
"The main problem with that is that the groups of "1000 half-trained regulars", mainly Kurdish and Shiite, are likely to take up the most natural policy, intimidating the local Sunni population through atrocities, or simply driving them out, AKA "ethnic cleansing".
This is a time-honored practice and the most typical development in such situations where militia fights against militia. And it is likely to be quite effective.
But it is likely to embarass the US, no matter how effective it is."
Your probably right. I think our presence may only temporarily prevent a civil war.
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