The quarterly report, authored by inspector-general Stuart Bowen, said
the 800,000-member Iraqi security forces were being terrorized by Al Qaida.
In the space of several months, nearly 240 Iraqi officers and 120 civil
servants
were said to have been assassinated.
The office, in a Jan. 30 report to Congress, said the United States has
spent nearly $20 billion, or more than a third of total reconstruction
funds, for Iraq's security forces. The report said that although the Iraqis
have
reduced Al Qaida attacks security forces require significant U.S. training,
equipment
and logistics support.
"While the Iraqi Army and police are self-sufficient in meeting their
basic training needs, they continue to need assistance in developing their
medical, transportation and logistics cadres," the report quoted Iraqi Army
Lt. Gen. Mohammed Huweidi as saying.
Still, the report cited cuts in the Iraqi and U.S. government budget for
training, particularly in the police. Bowen said this has already reduced
the number of police trainers in 2011 in a program headed by the State
Department.
"Currently, PDP planning calls for reduced numbers of advisors and more
limited geographic reach than originally envisioned, due to refined
requirements and costs as well as limited availability of funds," the report
said. "INL [State Department] reported that these cuts will not affect the
overall mission or goals of its program, but progress may be slowed."
The report said all security forces under the authority of the Interior
Ministry would face gaps in funding, command and control as well as
logistics throughout 2011. The ministry was also said to have been hampered
by severe corruption, including graft and bribes linked to procurement
contracts.