U.S.: Iraq Soldiers Won't Be in Combat

[Barrett808]

WASHINGTON - The new Iraqi army will not initially join U.S. troops in combat operations against holdouts from the deposed government of Saddam Hussein, a senior American adviser to the U.S. occupation authority said Wednesday.

Walter Slocombe, adviser on national security matters to Iraq civil administrator L. Paul Bremer, told a Pentagon news conference that the new Iraqi force is being trained for less demanding tasks such as providing security for vehicle convoys and manning checkpoints.

Eventually it will be of sufficient size and sophistication to defend Iraq's territory, he said, "because Iraq lives in a dangerous neighborhood, and it needs to be able to defend itself."

The White House, meanwhile, said it is asking Congress to provide an extra $2 billion next year to pay for training and equipping the new Iraqi army. The money is part of an $87 billion request to cover military and reconstruction costs in Iraq as well as Afghanistan in the budget year starting Oct. 1. Of that total, $55 billion would be for Iraq, including $20 billion for civilian reconstruction and security and $35 billion for U.S. military costs.

(more)

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/world/6795053.htm

[gratuitous]

1. Oh, now Iraq needs to defend itself?

But won't any weapons the country possesses be in violation of some UN resolution or another? Shouldn't the international community demand that Iraq disarm totally or face invasion?

Or are all those statements inoperable, now that the U.S. is calling the shots? A dangerous neighborhood, indeed! Let's see, $87 billion for Afghanistan and Iraq, but I still only see a crude accounting for a portion of that money. Where's the rest of it going? Or is it anti-troop to ask that?

[burrowowl]

4. Defend itself from

the U$A?

[AnnabelLee]

2. Dangerous neighborhood?

:wow: The neighborhood, while not exactly congenial, was fairly stable until bushco started a war in it. <where's that 'look of utter disgust' smilie when you need it?>

[InkAddict]

3. "occupation authority"?

Got that part right