Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
USA Today
April 25, 2008
Pg. 1
Troops won't be ready for years
By Matt Kelley, USA Today
WASHINGTON — Iraq's military and police forces need years of improvements before they have enough recruits, officers and support systems to secure the country, the government's Iraq reconstruction watchdog says in a report to be released today.
The report from Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen analyzed the Iraqi security forces as part of a review of the Pentagon's quarterly Iraq progress reports to Congress. Relying on Iraqi government figures, the latest such update in March says about 530,000 people are on the Iraqi security forces' payroll.
However, a "substantial number" of people on the payrolls of the Iraqi police and military have been killed or wounded, are on leave or never showed up for work, the inspector general's report says.
"The details included in the reports and other available information suggests a continuing need for caution in relying on the accuracy and usefulness of the numbers," the report says.
But the Pentagon says the data on Iraqi forces is reliable.
Col. Micheal Fuller, chief of staff of the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq, responded in the report that the Iraqi military is developing more of its own support services and have improved their methods of keeping track of their employees.
He said a sample conducted on April 5 found that 70% of the Iraqi Army soldiers on the payroll were on duty. The Army's 160,000 troops make up about one-third of all Iraqi security forces.
Not everyone in the U.S. military is present for duty on every day, Fuller wrote, so stating how many soldiers are off on a given day is "not a useful metric for identifying useful trends" for Iraqi forces.
The report comes as Congress prepares to take up President Bush's $108 billion request for the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, which includes $1 billion for Iraqi forces. Since 2003 Congress has approved $20 billion to train and equip Iraq's military and police.
Fuller said the Iraqi army should be able to sustain itself by September 2009. The Pentagon originally projected it could turn over security responsibilities to Iraqis in the country's 18 provinces by June 2006. That handover has taken place in nine provinces thus far.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the Bush administration has no deadline for when the Iraqis take full responsibility for their security. "It's all dependent on conditions on the ground," Perino said.
Problems with Iraqi troops
Shortcomings of the Iraqi forces identified by report of Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction:
*A shortage of officers and non-commissioned officers.
*A reliance of Iraqi forces on the United States to provide services such as supplies and transportation.
*A need for more Iraqi troops. U.S. and Iraqi officials estimate Iraq will need between 600,000 and 646,000 forces by 2010, a 22% increase.
April 25, 2008
Pg. 1
Troops won't be ready for years
By Matt Kelley, USA Today
WASHINGTON — Iraq's military and police forces need years of improvements before they have enough recruits, officers and support systems to secure the country, the government's Iraq reconstruction watchdog says in a report to be released today.
The report from Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen analyzed the Iraqi security forces as part of a review of the Pentagon's quarterly Iraq progress reports to Congress. Relying on Iraqi government figures, the latest such update in March says about 530,000 people are on the Iraqi security forces' payroll.
However, a "substantial number" of people on the payrolls of the Iraqi police and military have been killed or wounded, are on leave or never showed up for work, the inspector general's report says.
"The details included in the reports and other available information suggests a continuing need for caution in relying on the accuracy and usefulness of the numbers," the report says.
But the Pentagon says the data on Iraqi forces is reliable.
Col. Micheal Fuller, chief of staff of the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq, responded in the report that the Iraqi military is developing more of its own support services and have improved their methods of keeping track of their employees.
He said a sample conducted on April 5 found that 70% of the Iraqi Army soldiers on the payroll were on duty. The Army's 160,000 troops make up about one-third of all Iraqi security forces.
Not everyone in the U.S. military is present for duty on every day, Fuller wrote, so stating how many soldiers are off on a given day is "not a useful metric for identifying useful trends" for Iraqi forces.
The report comes as Congress prepares to take up President Bush's $108 billion request for the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, which includes $1 billion for Iraqi forces. Since 2003 Congress has approved $20 billion to train and equip Iraq's military and police.
Fuller said the Iraqi army should be able to sustain itself by September 2009. The Pentagon originally projected it could turn over security responsibilities to Iraqis in the country's 18 provinces by June 2006. That handover has taken place in nine provinces thus far.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the Bush administration has no deadline for when the Iraqis take full responsibility for their security. "It's all dependent on conditions on the ground," Perino said.
Problems with Iraqi troops
Shortcomings of the Iraqi forces identified by report of Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction:
*A shortage of officers and non-commissioned officers.
*A reliance of Iraqi forces on the United States to provide services such as supplies and transportation.
*A need for more Iraqi troops. U.S. and Iraqi officials estimate Iraq will need between 600,000 and 646,000 forces by 2010, a 22% increase.