Iraq's thin blue, and deadly, line

On Monday John Kerry blasted president Bush’s strategy in Iraq. In one of his sharpest criticisms, Kerry claimed that “just 5,000 Iraqi soldiers have been fully trained, by the administration’s own minimal standards. And of the 35,000 police now in uniform, not one has completed a 24-week field-training program.”

The Pentagon’s 3-star general in charge of strategic plans disputes Kerry’s numbers, specifically the charge that no Iraqi police have completed their training. Lt. Gen Sharp also says U.S. commanders believe that by the end of December most of Iraq will be under the control of local, Iraqi security forces.

Frankly, I can’t tell who is feeding us a line here. But I can tell two things: First, the Iraqi police, national guard and other security forces are absolutely crucial to ultimate success in Iraq. The fight can’t be won without them. Second, any debate on how best to prepare Iraqis to secure their own country’s future is the right kind of argument to have--as opposed to trivial spats about the candidates’ military service 35 years ago.

Over 700 Iraqi police officers have reportedly lost their lives since Saddam’s dictatorship was overthrown, making this one of the world’s most dangerous jobs. Just last week, in a car bombing outside the central police station and an ambush on a police vehicle, at least 58 policeman were killed in and around Baghdad. Despite the danger, Iraqi men continue to flock to the recruiting stations while the new Iraqi interim government and the Coalition are pushing harder to get more security personnel trained and deployed.

During May testimony to the U.S. Congress, Pentagon officials stated that over 200,000 Iraqis were in various components of Iraq’s security forces--Police, Border Guards, Facilities Protection Service, Civil Defense Corps (National Guard), and the new Iraqi Armed Forces. Now, in reaction to increased violence and attacks, $2 billion is to be shifted from reconstruction programs to train and equip still more Iraqi forces.

But what does that money and effort buy? Clearly, there have been too many notorious incidents of Iraqi police or other security troops abandonding their posts, refusing to fight (as happened during the April showdown in Fallujah) or actually joining the extremist forces. On the other hand, there are more recent success stories that give reason for guarded optimism.

Last month saw the deployment of Iraqi troops to Najaf to help quell the uprising by Sadr’s militia. This was the first fielding of the fledgling Iraqi Army by a newly sovereign Iraqi government. Earlier this month, the Iraqi National Guard and police--with support from U.S. forces--launched an operation south of Baghdad to regain control of a key road through the town of al-Latifiyah. While 12 policemen were killed, large caches of explosives were seized and numerous suspects arrested. Iraqi police have also recently broken up a major kidnapping ring in Baghdad. These and other signs point to an increasing ability of Iraqi forces to take a frontline role.

Another indicator is the attitude exhibited by some of the Iraqi recruits. In an AP interview, former naval officer Meqdad al-Izzawi says "My hope is to execute the law in Iraq and restore stability to the Iraqi people, because we never enjoyed security, even under Saddam Hussein.” Fellow cadet Abdul-Razzaq al-Qaissi declares "We all have to stand united, like one hand, against bad people and terrorists. We should not look at people being Shiite, Sunni, or Christian. God willing, we will be all one hand and we will all work to protect our citizens."

Izzawi and Qaissi are among 1,500 cadets finishing currently finishing a U.S.-run police course in Jordan. 4,800 Iraqis have already been through the program, which is slated to turn out a total of 32,000 officers for duty on Iraq’s streets. Depending on your outlook, you may see their willingness to risk their lives in the new Iraq as either courage or desperation, selflessness or a job hunt. But men like this make up the thin blue line that increasingly determine Iraq’s future.

T.T.

©2004, WestRim Digital Arts