Report: Assessment Shows Risk to Potential US Advisers in Iraq - Stars and Stripes
Iraq’s security forces are so infiltrated by either Sunni extremist informants or Shiite personnel backed by Iran that any Americans assigned to advise Baghdad’s forces could be at risk, The New York Times reported Sunday.
And, the Times wrote, a classified military assessment concludes that just half of Iraq’s operational units are capable enough for American commandos to advise them if the White House decides to help roll back the advances made by Sunni militants in northern and western Iraq over the past month.
Adding to the administration’s dilemma is the assessment’s conclusion that Iraqi forces loyal to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki are now heavily dependent on Shiite militias — many of which were trained in Iran — as well as on advisers from Iran’s paramilitary Quds Force…
Comments
Bill,
Concur. We need to understand that these are no longer "Iraqi Security Forces."
At this point this is the Shia Militia in a contest with a Sunni Militia (currently) under ISIS control. There is a Kurdish Militia as well.
To support this morphed "ISF" is to take sides with the Shia population, not to support what we might still be thinking of as the legitimate national force.
That ship has sailed.
Sounds a whole like the situation when we were in Iraq partnered with their security forces the previous decade. Some were good, others not worth taking outside the wire, and even the good units were infiltrated by Sunni and Shia extremists.
If they weren't largely dysfunctional now, then there wouldn't be a requirement for advisors in the first place. No doubt about it, if the advisor option is implemented they will face considerable risk. As always, leaders have to determine if the risk is worth the potential gain.