Iraq army has ‘long way to go’

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraq’s security forces have “a long way to go” to deal with the bloody insurgency and violent crime, the government said in a report obtained Friday.

The report concludes that Iraq’s army – praised just this week by President Bush – needs more men, better leaders, new equipment and improved training to confront the insurgents without U.S. support.

The 59-page report, compiled by Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari’s office, reviewed the government’s performance since taking office seven months ago. It was prepared for the administration that will take over after elections Dec. 15.

The document claims successes in the economy, as well as improvement in the vital oil industry and in services, but acknowledges that security remains a major concern.

“The number of insurgent attacks has continued to rise and they are becoming more indiscriminate, resulting in large numbers of civilian casualties,” the report said. “While violent crime, including murder and kidnapping, has fallen, it remains at a high level.” It gave no statistics.

The government, the report said, “is well aware that the armed forces and the police will need to become more effective” before they can come “to grips with these huge challenges.”

The Bush administration hopes a well-trained Iraqi security force and a democratic government will help stabilize the country and permit a gradual U.S. military exit, possibly starting next year.

In a speech Wednesday, Bush vigorously defended his Iraq policy in the face of mounting pressure to bring home American troops. He said the Iraqis’ performance “is still uneven,” but there have been improvements in training and that Iraqi units are growing more independent and controlling more territory.

“This will take time and patience,” he said.

Iraq’s police and army – about 200,000 at present – are dominated by majority Shiite Muslims and are the subject of allegations of mass arrests and mistreatment of Sunni Arabs. Sunnis dominated Iraq for years under Saddam Hussein and now lead the insurgency.

The security forces are widely believed to have been infiltrated by militiamen linked to Shiite political parties and of carrying out assassinations of Sunni Arab clerics and politicians.

Shiite politicians deny any link to the killings, which they blame on insurgents.

Interior Minister Bayan Jabr has dismissed his senior human rights official over a scandal involving the alleged torture of dozens of prisoners at a Baghdad detention center run by the Interior Ministry. The dismissal of Nouri al-Nouri was ordered by al-Jaafari, according to officials in the prime minister’s office.

Al-Jaafari’s concern with abuses by the security forces was reflected in the report.

“They need not only more personnel and equipment but effective leadership at all levels and more and better training,” said the report. “They must become highly professional and efficient in tackling terrorism and crime while operating within the law, respecting human rights and earning the trust and respect of the public. Corruption must also be tackled.

“There is still a long way to go in achieving these goals.”

A senior al-Jaafari aide acknowledged some detainees in the Interior Ministry lockup had been abused, arguing that the need to increase quickly the number of security forces meant applicants were not sufficiently screened.

The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because an investigation into the allegations was still under way.

Iraqi army and police commanders often complain that their weapons are inferior to those used by insurgents. They say that with sufficient firepower, they could take on the insurgents without help from the Americans, although they would still need armor and air support.

“We can defend our nation on our own,” said Col. Ali Kazim, a senior officer in a police commando unit, the Wolf Brigade. “The Americans should only support us. Weapons are all that we need and the Americans can just support us.”