Iraqi Security Forces

Iraq and the US face a critical transition during the period through 2011 and beyond. There is still a war to finish, but this is only part of the challenge both countries face. No one can be certain whether Iraq can achieve a stable level of political accommodation to deal with its internal problems. Iran seeks to expand it's influence, and Turkey will not tolerate a sanctuary for hostile Kurdish movements like the PKK. Arab support for Iraq remains weak, and Iraq's Arab neighbors fear both Shi'ite dominance and what that could mean in terms of Iran's role in Syria and Lebanon as well as Iraq. Even if it moves forward towards stability and political accommodation and largely ends the insurgency, it will be extremely difficult for Iraq to develop all of the security capabilities it needs for even the counterinsurgency mission before the full US withdrawal scheduled to take place by the end of 2011. This could force the US to hand over responsibility to the Iraqi Security Forces before these forces are fully able to do the job. It could also force the US to withdraw prematurely the US trainers and partner units that the IRS needs to secure the country and defend it from any threat from it's neighbors. ... Dealing with these issues will be a critical priority for the US for at least half a decade to come.

Author, radio commentator, and sometime US government agent, Cordesman (Center for Strategic and International Studies) argues that the US must construct Iraqi military, security, and police forces as an essential element of nation-building and stability, and presents a program for doing so. Most of the book is analysis of the planning and execution of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq and the subsequent occupation and resistance to it. Then he looks at The Iraqi View, the evolving nature of the conflict and the risk of sectarian and ethnic conflict, before laying out his own ideas in the final chapter.

From May 2003 to June 28, 2004 (when it handed over authority to the Iraqi Interim Government), the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) worked to field Iraqi security forces and to develop security sector institutions. This book-all of whose authors were advisors to the CPA-breaks out the various elements of Iraq's security sector, including the defense, interior, and justice sectors, and assesses the CPA's successes and failures.

In Nov. 2005, the the Nat. Strategy for Victory in Iraq was issued to clarify the Pres. strategy for achieving U.S. political, security, & economic goals in Iraq. The strategy articulated the desired end-state for U.S. operations in Iraq: a peaceful, united, stable, & secure Iraq, integrated into the internat. community, & a partner in the war on terrorism. To achieve this, the U.S. is, among other things, developing Iraqi military & police forces. The U.S. goal is to transfer security respon. from the Multinational Force-Iraq to Iraqi security forces & the Iraqi gov¿t. as their capability & the security situation improve. This testimony discusses the results of U.S. efforts to develop Iraqi security forces, & factors that affect the development of effective Iraqi forces. Charts & tables.