Military official says Iraqi forces training and arming not complete yet

[k98nights]

Military official says Iraqi forces training and arming not complete yet

Wednesday, August 25th 2010 2:42 PM

Baghdad, Aug. 25 (AKnews) – A senior Iraqi military official said on Wednesday that the country’s security forces have not yet reached sufficient levels in terms of arming and training.

Speaking to AKnews on one of the deadliest days that the country has witnessed in months, Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta said “but the Iraqi forces have the sufficient time for arming and equipping themselves before the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2011.”

U.S. combat troops are expected to leave Iraq by the end of August. But around 50,000 non-combat forces will remain in the country until the end of 2011 to train and advise the Iraqi military.

Atta, who is also the spokesman of Baghdad Operations Command, said the Iraqi security forces are, nevertheless, at an advanced stage of “building combat capabilities.”

He said Iraqi security forces have operated without “the need for support from U.S. forces for more than a year.”

A series of attacks across Iraq on Wednesday have left dozens of people dead and injured. The major bombings happened in the capital Baghdad, Karbala and Kut, all targeting police stations.

Iraq has witnessed a rise in violence since the withdrawal of U.S. troops from its cities in June 2009. The attacks have especially increased since March parliamentary elections.

Iraq’s political leaders have been unable to reach a deal on forming a new government for the country five months after the elections.

July was the bloodiest month in the last two years in Iraq as attack claimed the lives of more than 500 people and injured more than 1,000 others, according to Iraqi government figures.

Sa/Ms/AKnews

http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/3/177046/

[EBJNYC]

UPGRADE the lifestyle of "Joe Iraqi" and the violence will DECREASE. "Desperate people -- Do Desperate Things" -- mostly for MONEY.