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Friday, September 12, 2008

Iraq pushing for military independence in 2009

BAGHDAD — Iraq is agressively aiming for security and military independence in 2009.

Officials said the government of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki hopes to gain significant capability over the next 16 months that would end all but marginal dependence on the U.S. military. They said most Iraqi units now require U.S. combat and logistics, Middle East Newsline reported.

"We are at Level 2 at the moment and plan to reach Level 1 by 2009," Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mohammed Al Askari said. "But for that we need a lot of air and logistical support."

Officials said Level 2 required U.S. logistical support. The grade certified that Iraqi military and security units could plan and take the lead in operations.

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Iraq has accelerated military procurement, including requesting information on the U.S.-origin F-16 multi-role fighter. Officials said the Defense Ministry has drafted a plan for military modernization by 2020.

The U.S. military, with more than 145,000 troops in the country, has reported significant improvement in the Iraqi police. Officials said the U.S. military has reversed its position as late as January 2008 that the Iraqi police be disbanded amid a determination that it was infiltrated by Al Qaida and Iranian-sponsored militias.

"There has been a remarkable turnaround," U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, responsible for training the Iraqi forces, said. "They are now an aggressive bunch."

So far, the Interior Ministry has formed a police force of 560,000 officers. The size has enabled Iraq to assume security responsibility for 11 of the nation's 18 provinces.

Officials said the military and police were in greatest need of logistics and a junior and mid-level command. They said the military has extended basic combat training from five to eight weeks.

At the same time, Iraqi soldiers and police officers were being instructed on modern logistics. The military and police have been operating on the "train-the-trainer" model that would eventually place the effort in Iraqi hands. The Iraqis have already begun implementing a repair, logistics and training system.

"The IA [Iraq Army] is taking responsibility for the supplying of uniforms to the IA soldiers," British Army Brig. Johnny Torrens-Spence.

In September, more than 170 senior logisticians and Iraqi advisers gathered to discuss ways to improve military logistics. The soldiers came from battalion, division and brigade levels to brief the military leadership on training, maintenance and issues occurring in their areas of operation.

"We gathered everybody from across theater to check the progress of our logistics partnership initiative," Col. Ronald Pulignani, an adviser to the Iraqi military, said. "Everyone left better informed and ready to move the logistics partnership initiative forward."



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