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Monday, December 27, 2010     INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING

Assessment: Iraq's Maliki favored intel solutions for terror 'gangs'

Special From Geostrategy-Direct.com

Terrorists in Iraq have lost control of cities but remain a threat to stability in the country, according to a recent security assessment made public through a State Department cable. A classified assessment from then-Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin, commanding general of the Multi-National Corps-Iraq from March 2009 revealed that the security environment in Iraq was evolving.

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Austin told the Iraqi leader Nuri al Maliki that the security environment had changed dramatically since 2008.

Al Maliki noted in the conversation with the general that "they (insurgents/terrorists) are still out there," but have lost control of the cities and as a result are more like "gangs" that move from one area to the next.


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"We need to build our intelligence capability to track these clandestine gangs," al Maliki said, noting that the period for armed confrontations was over. "We have to adjust our forces to counter this new threat and intelligence will play a key role in this," al-Maliki said.

Al Maliki also questioned whether existing plans or strategies, like focusing on checkpoints, were still applicable. "We have to evolve our forces to compensate for the changing security environment and emerging threats," he said.

Austin said he agreed and said that the Iraqi Police needed to take a greater role for internal security while the Iraqi Army needed to focus on external threats. Maliki said the Army needed to continue playing a role in internal stability as U.S. forces were withdrawn.

"There is no substitute for the IA in a security role," Maliki said. "I don t want to risk withdrawing the IA, particularly in light of the drawdown of U.S. forces."




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