Washington – The Iraqi police force is so corrupt it should be completely dismantled, according to a new independent report.
The report by Marine General James Jones, the former top US commander in Europe, is the latest in a series of criticisms on the war.
The Bush Administration has been training Iraq forces so that they can some day control the country alone, without any U.S. military involvement.
The 20 member commission, led by Jones, found that Iraqi military forces were improving, “but not at a rate sufficient to meet their essential security responsibilities.”
The report also harshly criticized the Iraq police force and the interior ministry under which it operates, accusing them of being “a ministry in name only”.
“The national police have proven operationally ineffective,” the report said.
“Sectarianism in its units undermines its ability to provide security; the force is not viable in its current form.
“The national police should be disbanded and reorganised.”
According to BBC, the Interior minister acknowledges the problems and says they are being addressed and the does not agree with the new report.
“We admit there were some problems before due to sectarian loyalties but this involved just a few people,” ministry spokesman Brig-Gen Abdul-Kareem Khalaf told Reuters.
“It was not widespread… it does not reach the level of disbanding the police.”
The Jones report did find that the Iraqi military has improved significantly and will likely be able to handle the countries security over time.
However, the Iraqi military still heavily relies on the U.S. to maintain order.
“The commission assesses that in the next 12 to 18 months there will be continued improvement in their readiness and capability, but not the capability to operate independently,” the report said.
“With regard to external dangers, the evidence indicates that the Iraqi Security Forces will not be able to secure Iraqi borders against conventional military threats in the near term.”
The success of Iraq forces is seen as a major step toward a secure Iraq.
No comments for Iraq Police Should Be “Disbanded”
No comments yet.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.