BAGHDAD — The Iraq Army has been completed preparations to take
responsibility for much of western Iraq.
Officials said the U.S. military has been training and mentoring Iraqi
forces to take over a significant portion of security assignments in the
Anbar province and other areas by the end of 2005. They said Iraq Army
battalions would take the lead in patrols and counter-insurgency operations,
now directed by the United States.
"They're becoming more proficient with their planning tools and their
ability to direct and support their forces," Maj. Gen. Stephen Johnson,
commander of Multinational Force West, said. "And we also are starting to
see the link between the division headquarters and the Iraqi army command
forces is growing too as they learn how to do these skills as well."
[On Thursday, at least 30 people were killed and about 50 were injured
when a suicide bomber detonated a car full of explosives outside a hospital
south of Baghdad, Middle East Newsline reported. The injured included four U.S. soldiers.]
Johnson, responsible for security in western Iraq, told a Pentagon
briefing that half of the battalions would be ready this month to take the
lead in planning, coordinating and executing operations. He said 18 Iraqi
battalions have been deployed in his area.
"The planning, the ability to plan, coordinate and put operations
together is one of those skills that organizations learn, and the brigades
and battalions in our area are learning that pretty well," Johnson said in
the October 2005 briefing. "They're learning it through partnership with our
battalions, and they're learning it because we have embedded with them
military transition teams."
Officials said U.S. battalions commanders report a significant
improvement in Iraqi military capability. They said the commanders detected
a steady growth in confidence and ability by Iraqi units to conduct
independent operations.
The combat capability, officials said, extends from Iraqi soldiers who
have learned to use their weapons to the battalion and brigade commanders.
They said Iraqi military logistics have also improved.
"At present, the Iraqi Army is in the lead for planning and executing
counterinsurgency operations in one Iraqi province that is roughly the size
of New Jersey," a Defense Department report, entitled "Measuring Stability
and Security in Iraq," said. "The ISF also have the lead for 87 square miles
in Baghdad and over 450 square miles of battle space in the other Iraqi
provinces."
Currently, most of the Iraqi battalions in the western part of the
country are regarded as Level 3, or capable of participating rather than
leading counter-insurgency operations. The more capable battalions have been
deployed in northern Iraq, particularly in the Kurdish areas.
"Fighters, whether they be coalition force or Iraqi security force, know
they have to be able to trust the guy on their right and left flank, and
they know that they if you got to be able to trust a guy watching them,"
Johnson said.
