CTB, which reports directly to Al Maliki, includes Iraq's
Counter-Terrorism Command and two brigades of Iraqi special
operations forces, meant to be a multi-ethnic unit that would target Sunni
and Shi'ite insurgency.
"This is a national service, not sectarian," Al Kenani said.
Officials said CTB would play a major role in the counter-insurgency
campaign in wake of the U.S. military redeployment in Iraq, completed on
June 30. They said CTB, mentored by the U.S. Special Operations Command,
would draft strategy, identify targets and share information with the
military and security forces in the CI campaign.
"One of the biggest successes of the CTB is the way they share
information with other Iraqi agencies," U.S. Army Col. Michael Skinner,
a senior adviser to CTB, said. "Although the targeting process has always
been professional, the way that they cross-reference their information with
other
Iraqi security forces reflects a level of professionalism that all Iraqis
can be proud of."
Officials said CTB has assessed that Al Qaida and Iranian-financed
Shi'ite insurgency groups would continue to intensify attacks in wake of the
U.S. withdrawal from Iraqi cities. They said the bureau has been tracking
the return of hundreds of Shi'ites trained by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps.
"I wanted to develop a force that was professional for all Iraqis," Al
Kenani said, "a stable and secure Iraq that is able to defeat terrorism for
the future of this country."
