Iraqis Say Security Forces Fall Short

By Hamza Hendawi

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 by the Associated Press.

The report concludes that Iraq’s army — praised 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 the office of Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, 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 and 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.”

A senior U.S. general said Friday that nearly twice as many Iraqi security forces will be available to guard against attacks during the Dec. 15 election as were on hand during voting in January.

Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey, the commander in charge of training and equipping the Iraqi military and police, said 225,000 members of the Iraqi army and police will be operating during this month’s elections for a permanent Iraqi government, up from the 130,000 fielded during parliamentary elections in January.

Even with that increase, the number of U.S. forces in Iraq — currently close to 160,000 — is about the same as in January, reflecting the unrelenting nature of the insurgency.

The Bush administration hopes that 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 added that 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.