Tottering Iraqi security forces losing ground
Man, if we have to wait for the Iraqis to stand up, before we stand down, it's going to be a long wait. Our great, great grandchildren might see it as this rate.
Top US generals are revising their less than rosy estimates in July of three battalions of Iraqi security forces being ready to rock and roll for themselves, down to a possibly more realistic assessment that only one battalion is capable of doing its job. One suspects that could even be purely optimistic, but even if it's true, a battalion is about 1,000 soldiers. We have about 150,000 troops there. So if it takes two years to train one battalion -- well -- you do the math.
One wonders why the other two battalions are no longer ready for action but one thing is clear. As long as we're there doing all the heavy lifting, they have no incentive to fend for themselves.
Top US generals are revising their less than rosy estimates in July of three battalions of Iraqi security forces being ready to rock and roll for themselves, down to a possibly more realistic assessment that only one battalion is capable of doing its job. One suspects that could even be purely optimistic, but even if it's true, a battalion is about 1,000 soldiers. We have about 150,000 troops there. So if it takes two years to train one battalion -- well -- you do the math.
One wonders why the other two battalions are no longer ready for action but one thing is clear. As long as we're there doing all the heavy lifting, they have no incentive to fend for themselves.
posted by Libby Spencer at 2:01 PM
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