thedrifter
04-24-07, 07:33 PM
Gen. criticizes Iraqis on police development
By Erik Holmes - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 24, 2007 15:24:21 EDT
COB SPEICHER, Iraq — The commander of all coalition forces north of Baghdad has criticized the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior for failing to support development of the Iraqi police, one of the lynchpin institutions of American hopes for success in Iraq.
Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, commander of Multinational Division – North and Task Force Lightning, said Monday that the ministry has lost the confidence of police commanders because it has failed to live up to its responsibilities.
“The bottom line is that MOI doesn’t provide direct and overt support to the police out in the field like they should,” he said.
Mixon called improving the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army his “primary focus” in the north.
He criticized the ministry’s failure to get funds into the hands of local police, and its tendency to hoard authority in Baghdad.
“It’s an absolutely archaic system,” he said, “and I know that [American transition officials are] working ... to make them more efficient and decentralize some of the operations.”
Mixon said Iraqi governance institutions, though imperfect, cannot be allowed to fail.
“It is the strategic question of whether or not we can make this thing work in Iraq,” he said. “Can the government govern? That’s the question.”
Also Monday, the day nine American soldiers from Task Force Lighting were killed in suicide bombings in Diyala province, Mixon said he is sending an additional Stryker battalion into the troubled region.
The province is the most violent area in the north and has seen “major fighting” since November, he said.
“It’s important that we get Diyala secure,” he said, “because it has major influence on what happens in Baghdad because of the support to the Sunni insurgency.”
By Erik Holmes - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 24, 2007 15:24:21 EDT
COB SPEICHER, Iraq — The commander of all coalition forces north of Baghdad has criticized the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior for failing to support development of the Iraqi police, one of the lynchpin institutions of American hopes for success in Iraq.
Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, commander of Multinational Division – North and Task Force Lightning, said Monday that the ministry has lost the confidence of police commanders because it has failed to live up to its responsibilities.
“The bottom line is that MOI doesn’t provide direct and overt support to the police out in the field like they should,” he said.
Mixon called improving the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army his “primary focus” in the north.
He criticized the ministry’s failure to get funds into the hands of local police, and its tendency to hoard authority in Baghdad.
“It’s an absolutely archaic system,” he said, “and I know that [American transition officials are] working ... to make them more efficient and decentralize some of the operations.”
Mixon said Iraqi governance institutions, though imperfect, cannot be allowed to fail.
“It is the strategic question of whether or not we can make this thing work in Iraq,” he said. “Can the government govern? That’s the question.”
Also Monday, the day nine American soldiers from Task Force Lighting were killed in suicide bombings in Diyala province, Mixon said he is sending an additional Stryker battalion into the troubled region.
The province is the most violent area in the north and has seen “major fighting” since November, he said.
“It’s important that we get Diyala secure,” he said, “because it has major influence on what happens in Baghdad because of the support to the Sunni insurgency.”
Ellie
By Erik Holmes - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 24, 2007 15:24:21 EDT
COB SPEICHER, Iraq — The commander of all coalition forces north of Baghdad has criticized the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior for failing to support development of the Iraqi police, one of the lynchpin institutions of American hopes for success in Iraq.
Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, commander of Multinational Division – North and Task Force Lightning, said Monday that the ministry has lost the confidence of police commanders because it has failed to live up to its responsibilities.
“The bottom line is that MOI doesn’t provide direct and overt support to the police out in the field like they should,” he said.
Mixon called improving the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army his “primary focus” in the north.
He criticized the ministry’s failure to get funds into the hands of local police, and its tendency to hoard authority in Baghdad.
“It’s an absolutely archaic system,” he said, “and I know that [American transition officials are] working ... to make them more efficient and decentralize some of the operations.”
Mixon said Iraqi governance institutions, though imperfect, cannot be allowed to fail.
“It is the strategic question of whether or not we can make this thing work in Iraq,” he said. “Can the government govern? That’s the question.”
Also Monday, the day nine American soldiers from Task Force Lighting were killed in suicide bombings in Diyala province, Mixon said he is sending an additional Stryker battalion into the troubled region.
The province is the most violent area in the north and has seen “major fighting” since November, he said.
“It’s important that we get Diyala secure,” he said, “because it has major influence on what happens in Baghdad because of the support to the Sunni insurgency.”
By Erik Holmes - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 24, 2007 15:24:21 EDT
COB SPEICHER, Iraq — The commander of all coalition forces north of Baghdad has criticized the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior for failing to support development of the Iraqi police, one of the lynchpin institutions of American hopes for success in Iraq.
Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, commander of Multinational Division – North and Task Force Lightning, said Monday that the ministry has lost the confidence of police commanders because it has failed to live up to its responsibilities.
“The bottom line is that MOI doesn’t provide direct and overt support to the police out in the field like they should,” he said.
Mixon called improving the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army his “primary focus” in the north.
He criticized the ministry’s failure to get funds into the hands of local police, and its tendency to hoard authority in Baghdad.
“It’s an absolutely archaic system,” he said, “and I know that [American transition officials are] working ... to make them more efficient and decentralize some of the operations.”
Mixon said Iraqi governance institutions, though imperfect, cannot be allowed to fail.
“It is the strategic question of whether or not we can make this thing work in Iraq,” he said. “Can the government govern? That’s the question.”
Also Monday, the day nine American soldiers from Task Force Lighting were killed in suicide bombings in Diyala province, Mixon said he is sending an additional Stryker battalion into the troubled region.
The province is the most violent area in the north and has seen “major fighting” since November, he said.
“It’s important that we get Diyala secure,” he said, “because it has major influence on what happens in Baghdad because of the support to the Sunni insurgency.”
Ellie