The status of the new Iraqi Armed Forces (IAF) is clearly outlined in Article 9 of the Iraqi Constitution, which states that the Armed Forces shall be “subject to the control of the civilian authority” and “shall defend Iraq and shall not be used as an instrument of oppression against the Iraqi people, shall not interfere in the political affairs and shall have no role in the transfer of authority.”

One of the key areas to build security capacity in Iraq is the development, training, equipping, and sustaining of the armed forces under the Ministry of Defense - a completely different mission from the mission of developing the Iraqi Police because of the dissolution of the military after the 2003 invasion. The build-up of Iraqi Armed Forces, begun in 2004 with the training of the first infantry battalion, has continued to evolve to a focus on not only combat forces, but also the enablers required to sustain the force...

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One of the key areas to build security capacity in Iraq is the development, training, equipping, and sustaining of the police forces under the Ministry of Interior. The mission of the Ministry of Interior is to “provide the Iraqi citizens with a free and peaceful society through its security forces. The Ministry of Interior forces arrest people who threaten the stability and security of Iraq in the civil sector, combat terrorism and continues to improve its forces to ensure order throughout Iraq. The Ministry of Interior is here to serve the public of Iraq.”

As part of the Ministry of Interior, the Iraqi Police Services (IPS) have the mission to “serve the public by providing law enforcement, public safety and internal security. The IPS Directorate has its own unique tasks and duties. The IPS first priority is to protect its citizens from terrorists, criminals and all those who seek to harm to the people of Iraq. The IPS protects people, their freedoms, public & private wealth as well as protect its citizens from any hazards and persons which compromise their safety. The IPS work to curb crime by implementing laws, arresting criminals who violate those laws and keeping public order.”...

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The transition of security to Iraqi control and responsibility involves much more than merely building units and transferring equipment; the process includes building ministerial capacity for generation and replenishment of capability. The common point of view is that for the transition of control there must be a balance of meeting security requirements and transition activities, each as separate activities. The reality is that in Iraq there must be security while transitioning, and the two activities of security and transition are simultaneous and complementary.

Simply generating forces and getting them into the fight also falls short of a long-term solution; forces must be generated while the long-term capability to replenish those forces is developed using a systems of systems approach. This enduring capability requires an “enterprise mindset” to manage those forces and capabilities throughout the entire life cycle of force management, acquisition (including both personnel and equipment), training, distribution, deployment, sustainment, development, and separation and release from active duty (also including both personnel and equipment). Proper stewardship of these processes requires leader development and national-to-tactical resource management – which requires a shift in the ministerial mindset in the aftermath of the Saddam regime...

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The recent Joint Center for International Security Force Assistance (JCISFA) Symposium at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (29-31 Jan 2008) addressed the issue of Security Force Assistance and the way forward. The Symposium was entitled “Key Security Force Assistance Issues in an Age of Persistent Conflict.” Here are some observations from the conference:

There are a number of issues and assumptions that received general agreement. These included that we are in an era of “persistent conflict” and that there will be a requirement for some level of security force assistance (train, advise, and assist, or TAA) to be provided for at least the next decade and beyond. There was also an acknowledgement that “stability operations” are a core mission of the military on par with offensive and defensive operations – a concept from DOD 3000.05 and incorporated in the new FM 3-0 that will roll out in February 2008. The importance of joint and multinational operations and interagency participation in a “whole of government” was also embraced, although there are huge issues in the capacity and ability of the non-DOD agencies to make this happen in the near term...

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