First report from "the surge" - Iraqis forces are a mess

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McClatchy article at AMERICAblog: http://americablog.blogspot.com/2007/02/first-report-from-surge-iraqis-forces.html

Friday, February 09, 2007

First report from "the surge" - Iraqis forces are a mess
by John in DC - 2/09/2007 02:25:00 PM

McClatchy Newspaper: (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/16655490.htm)

Two weeks with American units that patrolled with Iraqi forces in west and east Baghdad found that Iraqi officers sold new uniforms meant for their troops, and that their soldiers wore plastic shower sandals while manning checkpoints, abused prisoners and solicited bribes to free suspects they'd captured.

During a patrol last week in a violent west Baghdad neighborhood that's the scene of regular sniper fire at U.S. and Iraqi troops, Staff Sgt. Jeremie Oliver saw Iraqi soldiers gathered in the middle of the road, near a streetlight, making them an easy target for gunmen on the surrounding rooftops.

Thinking that something might be wrong, Oliver, 30, of Farmington, Maine, jogged over. The Iraqis were looking at pornography on a cell phone.

Even our own intelligence reports say the Iraqis won't be ready to handle it on their own in 12 to 18 months.

The declassified version of a report last month by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said sectarian divisions "erode the dependability of many units, many are hampered by personnel and equipment shortfalls, and a number of Iraqi units have refused to serve outside of the areas where they were recruited."

Despite improvements, the report concluded, Iraqi forces "will be hard pressed in the next 12-18 months to execute significantly increased security responsibilities, and particularly to operate independently against Shia militias with success."

more . . .

[twilight_sailing]

1. How is it that I could have told you that before hand?

I'm just an old guy who reads the newspaper.

[underpants]

3. I was lead to believe they were all like Audie Murphy

Uh oh maybe they meant Audie AFTER the war

[Robbien]

2. Iraqis being ordered by American grunts to go kill other Iraqis

Oh yeah, that is going to go smooth.

[theoldman]

6. Me against my brother, My brother and I against my cousins.

This does not apply when American troupes are involved.

[theoldman]

4. These are the guys we trained. We did a Hellofajob.

[ClintonTyree]

5. George Bush....

".....as Iraqi forces stand up, American forces will stand down". :eyes: Doesn't look like American forces will be standing down for quite some time. Face it, Iraqi forces will never stand up. Not while American forces are there to do the dirty work for them which means that they'll NEVER stand up because Bush and his gang that couldn't think straight are never going to remove Americans from Iraq. Not as long as all that oil remains underground anyway.

Sounds as if Georgie's SURGE is going to be as successful as all his other directives as President. Another miserable failure from the man who has redefined the term "miserable failure". :banghead:

[rodeodance]

7. "Seccess" is based on the Iraqi army---think about that one!