BAGHDAD — The Iraq Army has opened a center meant to improve
training throughout the military.
The army has launched its Training and Doctrine Command, established
with help from NATO. The command, opened on July 25, was designed to improve
training and education throughout the Iraqi military, Middle East Newsline reported.
"When we mention tactical, operational and strategic doctrine, our
command has realized that it is necessary to define a clear direction to
depend on in building our doctrine," TDC commander Iraqi Maj. Gen. Mohammed
Al Nagshabandi said.
The opening of the facility comes as Iraq and the United States have
completed preparations for another effort meant to destroy insurgency
strongholds in Iraq. Officials said the operation, which would include tens
of thousands of U.S. troops, would begin on Aug. 1.
Officials said the center would produce and implement doctrine at the
tactical, operational and strategic levels. They said senior officers and
Defense Ministry officials would be taught to establish professional
organizations to improve defense and security.
"The foundation of our command is indeed a tangible fruit of faithful
efforts," Al Nagshabandi said. "It has been an exchange of joint
experiments between [U.S.-led coalition] MNSTC-I and [NATO] NTM-I and the
Iraqi side represented by the Directorate of Defense, along with analysis
and national security studies."
Officials said the new command was the largest Iraqi military
organization involved with training, academic and scientific studies. They
said TDC would build the foundation for a post-Saddam Iraqi military
doctrine.
Gen. Babakir Zibari, commander of the Iraqi Joint Forces, said TDC
includes the National Defense University, the Defense Language Institute,
the National Defense College and the Joint Staff College. Zibari said TDC
also contains a facility to train personnel from ministries that deal with
national security.
Officials said TDC was meant to introduce a professional culture that
would ensure logistics, training and other capabilities required for Iraqi
security responsibility. They said much of the
efforts by the U.S.-led coalition have been hampered by inefficiency,
corruption and lack of discipline by the Iraqi military and government.
