WASHINGTON — The United States has concluded that its trainers have
significantly improved the Iraq Army.
Officials said U.S. trainers embedded in the Iraq Army have improved
every level of Baghdad's military and security forces, Middle East Newsline reported.
"The fact that we were able to get the Ministry of Defense forces to
allow us to embed our folks with their units," Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld said. "And as a result of that they are able to see with much
better visibility how good they are."
On July 12, Rumsfeld told a Town Hall meeting that embedded trainers
have improved combat and logistics skills of Iraq Army units. He said the
trainers have also provided the Pentagon with a clear picture of the state
of the Iraqi military.
Officials said the U.S. military now understands every aspect of the
Iraq Army, including its deficiencies. They cited equipment shortages,
poor coordination, inadequate intelligence and slow response to threats.
"The fact that our folks have been embedded with them, living with them,
working with them day and night with the Ministry of Defense forces has
enabled us to increase their capability rather rapidly," Rumsfeld said.
At a news conference on July 12, Iraqi Defense Minister Abdul Qader Al
Mufrji outlined the army's operational requirements. Al Mufrji said rapid
response and coordination were keys in the counter-insurgency mission.
"We must have very quick reaction to lethal operations against civilian
within 10 minutes," Al Mufrji said. "We have formed teams and there are
leaders who coordinate, because if they don't, there will be friendly fire.
This force will be one of quick reaction and quick response."
In contrast, the Iraqi Interior Ministry has hampered U.S. training and
equipping efforts. Officials said the ministry delayed the introduction of
embedded trainers in the Iraqi police and security forces.
"We were refused the ability to embed people with the police for some
time and it's just started six or eight months ago, so that's lagging there
as well," Rumsfeld said.
Officials said Iraqi police were incapable of assuming security
responsibility for most of Iraq. They said the U.S. military would continue
to rely on the Iraq Army to take the lead in security operations and control
provinces.
The United States has been pressing the Defense Ministry and Interior
Ministry to improve capabilities and coordinate operations. Officials said
the two ministries must also coordinate regarding logistics and procurement.
"They have advanced unevenly in this sense as well," Rumsfeld said of
the security forces. "The training and equipment is going along very well
for the combat and lead forces of the Iraqi Security Forces. The other skill
sets logistics and intelligence and the other enablers aviation enablers
and the like that's far behind."
On Thursday, the United States appealed to the government of Iraqi Prime
Minister Nouri Al Maliki to end ethnic tension and help stabilize the
country. In a statement, U.S. ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and U.S. military
commander in Iraq Gen. George Casey said Baghdad must prevent attacks by
Sunni and Shi'ite militias aligned with the government.
"We call on Iraqi leaders to take responsibility and pursue
reconciliation not just in words, but through deeds as well," the statement
said.
