House Panel Questions Iraq Forces Estimate

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- Iraqi security forces who are trained and equipped now number 142,472, defense officials told a House panel Monday. Congressional investigators criticized the number as unreliable.
...
Defense officials told a national security panel of the House Government Reform Committee that over time the Pentagon has changed the way it tracked the number of trained Iraqi security forces.

Since September, the tally has included only those who have both the training and equipment to engage in combat. Before, the Pentagon had included anyone who was on duty regardless of training.

As of March 7, defense officials said, there were 81,889 trained and equipped police, highway patrol and other forces in the Ministry of Interior Forces and 60,583 troops in the Ministry of Defense Forces.

But the GAO said Monday the number of police forces is unreliable because it includes police who may be absent from duty without authorization. "The Ministry of the Interior does not receive consistent and accurate reporting from the police forces around the country," the GAO written testimony said.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-iraq-security-forces,0,6494373.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

[Hobarticus]

1. It's not unreliable, in GOP-speak...

It clearly states "trained Iraqi security forces".

Doesn't mean those "trained Iraqi security forces" are on duty, that they've shown up for work, or even still alive.

Gotta learn the secret code!

[GetTheRightVote]

2. surprise surprise, not

:kick:

[Tempest]

3. In December the number was closer to 4,000 trained and equiped

And we're to believe it's gone up that much in just a few months?

[leftchick]

4. I am sure half of those have split...

with their weapons, uniforms and ammo. Doncha feel great at our "progress"?

[Tempest]

5. I'd feel a lot better about our "progress"

If my tax dollars wasn't paying for it.

[NNN0LHI]

6. Pentagon Data on Iraq Security Forces Unreliable -GAO

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050314/ts_nm/iraq_usa_forces_dc&cid=564&ncid=1480

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon (news - web sites) told Congress on Monday that there are 142,472 trained and equipped Iraqi security forces, but a Capitol Hill watchdog agency said data on the forces was unreliable and it was difficult to gauge whether billions of U.S. dollars were being used effectively.


"Data on the status of Iraqi security forces is unreliable and provides limited information on their capabilities," Joseph Christoff, of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), told a House of Representatives Government Reform subcommittee.


Christoff also said Pentagon intelligence data showed an escalating insurgency, as "each monthly peak in the number of violent incidents is followed by a higher average number of attacks in subsequent months."


Rear Adm. William Sullivan, who provided the Pentagon figures to the committee, acknowledged they included some Iraqi police who may have left their post or were absent without leave. He also said the Pentagon is trying to develop a way to measure how ready the Iraqi forces are for combat or various types of security duty.

more

[Cocoa]

7. "unreliable" is a euphemism

GAO trying to be polite, really means the numbers are pulled out of Rummy's ass.

[xray s]

8. What does "trained and equipped" mean?

Barney Fife was "trained and equipped"

[Moderator]

9. kick to combine

[leftchick]

10. Pentagon data on Iraq forces 'unreliable'

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200503/s1323591.htm

A US government watchdog agency says Pentagon data on Iraqi security forces was "unreliable" and also showed there was an escalating insurgency.

Assessing the readiness of Iraqis to take over national security has become a crucial factor in judging when the United States and coalition partner Australia will be able to start withdrawing from Iraq.

An AC Neilsen poll today attributes a dramatic fall in Federal Government support partly to more Australian troops being sent to Iraq.

Prime Minster John Howard has said that Australian troops would withdraw from Iraq when they were no longer needed.

"If we are ever to pull out of Iraq - and that's the goal, it's everybody's goal... I don't want Australian forces to remain there any longer than necessary. A precondition of withdrawal is to give the Iraqis the capacity to defend their country and to consolidate their fledgling democracy," Mr Howard said earlier this month.