(Navy Times) Report unclear on ability of Iraqi forces to assume control

[truthpusher]

http://www.navytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-988554.php

Report unclear on ability of Iraqi forces to assume control
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By Gordon Trowbridge, Gordon Lubold and Rick Maze
Times staff writers
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A Pentagon report mandated by Congress says Iraqi insurgents have failed to derail the nation’s progress toward democracy, but leaves largely unanswered the crucial question of how close Iraqi forces might be to taking over their country’s security.

The 23-page unclassified version of the document is unlikely to quiet critics of the Bush administration’s Iraq policy, and gives little indication when U.S. troop levels may begin to drop.

(snip)

U.S. officials have maintained that the progress of Iraqi forces is central to determining the size of the American military presence. But the report released Thursday , several days after a congressional deadline, outlines only total numbers and the system for rating Iraqi unit readiness, giving no information on how many troops are at what level of readiness.

The report put the number of trained and equipped Iraqi Ministry of Defense troops at about 77,330, almost all in the army. Another 94,000 police, paramilitary, border patrol and other forces are under the control of Iraq’s interior ministry.

more article: http://www.navytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-988554.php

link to report: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2005/d20050721secstab.pdf

complete story: http://www.navytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-988554.php