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Officials said candidates for SST were selected from Iraq Army and
police units. They said the teams learned how to establish a perimeter, exit
a vehicle and return fire.
"I want to thank President Bush for letting his Special [Operations]
Forces teams train Iraqi Security Forces," Rahman Abu Risha, an Iraqi
security official, told the graduating ceremony.
[On Thursday, the U.S. military launched a program to refurbish and
transfer more than 4,200 up-armored Humvees to Iraq in 2008. Officials said
more than 600 Humvees were already waiting for an overhaul.]
In 2007, Sunni and Shi'ite insurgents have targeted political leaders,
including parliamentarians, police and army commanders and judges. Officials
said that in some cases politicians have turned to militias for protection.
The U.S. military has also launched a leadership course for Iraqi
security forces. On Jan. 15, 56 soldiers became the first Iraqi group to
attend a leadership course, held at the new Task Force Marne Noncommissioned
Officer Academy.
The two-week course was designed to teach leadership and combat skills.
Officials said the course would help build a non-commissioned officer corps
in the Iraqi security forces.
"The two-week course that we have designed will teach you, the students,
the basics in leadership and combat tactics, and enhance your procedural
abilities to be able to train, teach, coach and mentor soldiers in your
units," Sergeant Major Jesse Andrews, of Multinational Division Center
Command, said. "For years, our NCO corps has been called the 'backbone of
the Army.' We want NCOs and leaders of the Iraqi security forces to gain
this same distinction -- to become the backbone of the [Iraqi security
forces.]"
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