$19bn later, Iraqi forces fall short

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON -- The US has sunk more than $19 billion into training Iraqi forces, but new army and police units still cannot enforce security, a congressional report warned Wednesday.

Four years after the US invasion, 346,500 Iraqi military and police have been trained, but readiness is not evenly spread and there is strong evidence some newly trained troops are committing sectarian violence, the report said.

The study, by a subcommittee of the House of Representatives Armed Services panel, was the latest unflattering assessment of US operations in Iraq, and came as support ebbs for current Iraq policy among Senate Republicans.

...

"This bipartisan report shows clearly that the president's plan to stand down our troops as the Iraqis stand up has been a failure to this point," said Oversight and Investigations committee chairman Martin Meehan.

Republican Representative Phil Gingrey expressed concern that some new security forces members, trained by US soldiers, could end up on the opposite side of the sectarian war or in bloodthirsty militia.

Read more: http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070627-022747-2396r

to put on masks and kidnap the 'other side' meaning us or their own countrymen who aren't member of their religious sect. To rob, cheat, and steal everything in site.

"I found that lying consistently about my military record was sufficient to fool the entire republicon party, and the corporate media of the USA. Lying can work for you Eye-rackis, too. Smirk, smirk, smirk."

- Commander AWOL

The United States has spent more than $19 billion training hundreds of thousands of Iraqi soldiers and police officers, but they are still not ready to provide security, a congressional report said on Wednesday.

"The security forces are not capable of taking over security responsibility, as timelines for transition are repeatedly extended and violence has not significantly decreased across Iraq," the oversight panel of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee said in the report.

Signed by 16 lawmakers from both political parties, the report said the Pentagon must do a better job of reporting to Congress on progress in training but stopped short of making a judgment on whether the United States should continue the effort.

"This bipartisan report shows clearly that the president's plan to stand down our troops as the Iraqis stand up has been a failure to this point," said Rep. Martin Meehan, a Massachusetts Democrat and the panel's chairman.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N27260438.htm

Never has. His only plan is to quagmire the US in a war in Iraq for years and years to come. No matter what the cost to the people of either country.

Meanwhile Exxon posts record profits.

This was no accident.

It is roughly 2/3 of Russia's annual "defense" spending.

It's more than Australia, Canada, Spain or Turkey spend on their "defense" annually.

It's four times what North Korea spends annually on "defense."

Someone just skimmed 19 Large out of U.S. taxpayers wallets.

> It is roughly 2/3 of Russia's annual "defense" spending.
>
> It's more than Australia, Canada, Spain or Turkey spend on their
> "defense" annually.
>
> It's four times what North Korea spends annually on "defense."

Maybe a photomontage would help for the illiterate and innumerate
general public? Maybe they still wouldn't care?

good grief.

That was my impression of Danny Devito in Twins saying 5 million dollars over and over.

This article should list the current running cost of this stupid venture.