Security in Iraq
I want to expand on a few thoughts in my first post. I believe there has been another explosion in Baghdad since I last wrote, and there is no question people are distressed about that. People are tired of it–both Iraqis and American forces.
In my first few hours in Iraq, I drove into the city from the airport, and then drove back out towards the airport to embed. The most striking thing was the overwhelming presence of Iraqi security forces. I saw few American troops, and countless Iraqi convoys and checkpoints. It certainly created a sense of security on one hand, but at the same time, that level of security presence indicated that there is still a pronounced threat.
One of the criticisms of the Iraqi security forces I heard repeatedly is that they are too static–the prefer checkpoints to patrols. That allows bad actors to maneuver around them. A number of American soldiers told me they have been advising the Iraqis that they need to be more proactive–patrol neighborhoods, act more quickly on intelligence threats. I saw one example where US troops told and Iraqi commander they had intelligence of possible IED materials in a few houses. I was expecting to ride along and watch the IA search the houses, but instead the commander chose to visit a checkpoint and inspect vehicles.
Now, there was value to the checkpoint since the IA has been conducting 100% traffic searches to prevent more explosives from making their way to Baghdad, but searching the houses should have been a priority as well.
Bottom line, the Iraqi forces are making progress, and are increasingly in control of the security situation, but they are still learning and developing their capacities, and the threats, while decreasing, are still there. And that is also why US forces are still here, and will be under the security agreement for another two years or so. Everyone is hoping that in that time the Iraqis will have things under control.