Panel Will Urge Broad Overhaul of Iraqi Police
The New York Times reports that “an independent commission established by Congress to assess Iraq’s security forces will recommend remaking the 26,000-member national police force to purge it of corrupt officers and Shiite militants suspected of complicity in sectarian killings.â€
In fact, an administration official told the Times that the panel recommends that “we start over†completely. The units of the Iraqi police force have to be “scrapped†and “reshaped into a smaller, more elite organization.â€
The White House says that it is studying the report. Seemingly, it is willing to implement at least some of the recommendations. Having said that, the State Department and the Pentagon are “not giving up on the Iraqi National Police.†A spokesman said that both the US government and the al-Maliki government are determined to improve the Iraqi National Police, but are not willing to dismantle it completely in order to do so. The reason is, of course, that the police forces are one of the few forces that are (mostly) under al-Maliki’s control. If Iraq loses its police force temporarily, chances are all hell will break loose (looting anyone).
2 Responses to “Panel Will Urge Broad Overhaul of Iraqi Police”
Kevin Drum; Not Getting It On Iraq…
You know, I used to respect Kevin Drum a lot. His blog, Political Animal, was the first political blog I had ever come across and to be honest, was probably a big reason why I started blogging myself. I don’t read him quite as much as I used to…
This is the chief problem in Iraq. Getting the Iraqis to govern and police themselves is like herding cats. Even if the police force is overhauled militant shiites will still be in Iraq. At some point the Iraqis have to take responsibility for their own destiny. What started as a prudent millitary engagement has turned into a foreign welfare campaign. Please forgive the honesty – and don’t shoot the messenger.