Gurganus, a Marine Corps officer who serves as ground element commander
in Iraq's Anbar province, said the Iraq Army and security forces have
improved to the point where they could replace some U.S. combat units. So
far, he said, Iraqi soldiers have replaced 2,200 U.S. Marines and sailors.
At a briefing on Sept. 30, Gurganus cited the 13th Marine Amphibious
Unit, deployed north of Faluja. He said the unit, which represented about
half of
the U.S. surge forces in Anbar, has been replaced by the 2nd Brigade of the
1st Iraqi Army Division, based in Faluja.
"Due to the improving conditions in Faluja, this brigade has moved
completely out of the city, and Faluja is in the hands of its police,
advised by some Marines that are still working with the police," Gurganus
said. "Their deployment not only significantly increased security in Faluja
and Ramadi, but also here in Baghdad."
Officials said the replacement of the Marine unit represented a
significant achievement in U.S. military plans to reduce its presence in
Iraq in 2008. The Defense Department has reported about 170,000 troops in
Iraq, the highest level since the invasion of 2003.
The Iraq Army has been preparing to assume responsibility for the
southern provinces by 2008. Officials said this would result in a
significant decrease of British troops, who for the last four years have
been patrolling Basra and other Iraqi provinces.
"We are prepared to take over security of Basra within two months and we
will," Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki said on Tuesday. "Basra will be
one of the provinces where Iraqi forces will completely take over security."
Gurganus expected other Iraqi units to replace U.S. combat forces. He
said the Iraqi 7th Army Division, also based in Anbar, was close to 100
percent of its strength, and would soon come under the responsibility of the
Iraqi
Ground Forces Command. The Iraqi division has been under U.S. military
command.
Still, the lion's share of the Iraq Army has been struggling to achieve
independence from the coalition. Officials said most Iraqi troops, who
remain without competent commanders, cannot operate on their own.
"Can they step out and do it on their own? My answer to that would be
no," Gurganus said.