Iraqi police force should be scrapped-U.S. report

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, Sept 5 (Reuters) - The Iraqi National Police force should be scrapped and reorganized because of ethnic divisions in its ranks, a new U.S. report said on Wednesday.

"The National Police have proven operationally ineffective," said the independent commission headed by retired Marine Gen. James Jones. The report's conclusions and recommendations were obtained by Reuters.

"Sectarianism in its units undermines its ability to provide security; the (police) force is not viable in its current form," the report said. "The National Police should be disbanded and reorganized."

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N05233019.htm

[Hydra]

1. Next they'll say we need to scrap the army

"They need us! They can't rule themselves, so we'll take their resources as payment!"

:puke:

[Xipe Totec]

3. Already done

One of the major blunders of this cluster-fuck of a war was disbanding the Iraqi army.

Thank you, Proconsul Paul Bremer.

[Hydra]

5. True, I forgot

That means they'll have to scrap it again...but since they've already talked about removing their puppet Gov't and PM, I suppose it's par for the course.

But since reading that they are not opposed to putting a puppet dictator in, what the hey, right?

[CJCRANE]

2. My feeling is -

if that's the way they want to run their police force then let them. Most of the world is f***ed up in one way or another when it comes to police.

[Jim__]

4. Does the general suggest how to reorganize the police force so there isn't sectarianism?

I'm just curious. My understanding is that sectarianism is a pretty much embedded in Iraq. There may be a way to organize the police force so that this isn't an issue; but I'm curious as to how it could be done.

[rodeodance]

6. Study: Iraqi security forces not ready

Source: ap

Study: Iraqi security forces not ready

By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer 55 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Iraq's security forces will be unable to take control of the country in the next 18 months, and Baghdad's national police force is so rife with corruption it should be scrapped entirely, according to a new independent assessment.

The study, led by retired Marine Corps Gen. James Jones, is a sweeping and detailed look at Iraq's security forces that will factor heavily into Congress' upcoming debate on the war. Republicans see success by the Iraqi forces as critical to bringing U.S. troops home, while an increasing number of Democrats say the U.S. should stop training and equipping such units altogether.

The 20-member panel of mostly retired senior military and police officers concludes that Iraq's military, in particular its army, shows the most promise of becoming a viable, independent security force with time. But the group predicts an adequate logistics system to support these ground forces is at least another two years away.

The report also offers a scathing assessment of Iraq's Interior Ministry and recommends scrapping Iraq's national police force, which it describes as dysfunctional and infiltrated by militias.




Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070906/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq;_ylt=Aqvcoxt2DGtAsHEhyeu5CSOs0NUE