Zero.
By on Feb 25th, 2006 at 8:30 am
Zero.
Number of Iraqi battalions capable of fighting without U.S. support. On Friday, the Pentagon revealed that “the only Iraqi battalion capable of fighting without U.S. support has been downgraded.”
View Most Popular
Advertisement
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Bachmann
Beck
Boehner
Business
Cheney
Civil Rights
Congress
Corporate Ethics
Dobbs
Economy
Education
Election
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Fox News
Gingrich
Glenn Beck
Global Warming
Health Care
Immigration
International Relations
Justice
LGBT
Lieberman
Limbaugh
Media
Military
O'Reilly
Obama
Palin
Pelosi
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Religion
Sports
Steele
Stimulus
Tea Parties
Tea Party
Terrorism
Veterans
Women's Rights
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Reports
In-depth studies on select topics
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
ArchivesBlog Roll
to quote this guy from yesterday:
February 25th, 2006 at 8:45 am
There’s a story within the story.
February 25th, 2006 at 8:52 amI’m sure Fox will spin this as ‘a huge potential for growth’ or proof that the Bush strategy is working.
February 25th, 2006 at 9:02 amThat one battalion sure can dance a good jig!
February 25th, 2006 at 9:08 amThis is the one battalion they keep showing over and over again celebrating their battalionness.
You’d think after three years Bush and his cronies would be able to point to one success. I guess zero up-front planning doesn’t pay off in the long run. Of course, Halliburton has its giant cost-plus contract for rebuilding, so the cloud has a silver lining for Cheney.
February 25th, 2006 at 9:24 amBushCo’s golden dome has bursted. The spin on 0 ready battalions should be interesting.
I’m not buying into the “conspiracy†idea about the US military being involved in the mosque bombing…too much to lose. (Great excuse for cutting losses and splitting though.) But I certainly wouldn’t put it past the “security†mercs of Blackwater and the like. But that doesn’t make too much sense either. Let’s not forget about all that oil under the sand…how do the folks that pay those mercs win?
Consider that Shiites and Sunnis have been fighting since the time of the Christian Crusades. (The Knights Templar was saved more than once by Moslem infighting.) Juniors oil crusade is just beginning to meet the same fate as the Templars.
Daddy Bush stopped short of overthrowing Saddam because he knew the current fiasco would be inevitable…remember his CIA background gave him insight. Junior the crusader (Bush the Dumb) and his handlers were not as bright. Foreigners have never lasted long in dominating the riches of the Middle East.
My heart goes out the common foot soldier in Iraq right now. Those kids have to be scared $hitless.
February 25th, 2006 at 9:37 amAmerica sees what American soldiers are dying for now.
February 25th, 2006 at 10:10 amNoone ever truly cared about American safety because Bush had the power to spy on whomever he wanted and it made him feel safe.
Meanwhile, he’s giving our country away to the people who want to kill us so he can make a buck.
And then there were none…
I agree with Colorado Jyms that they’ll spin it as a “huge potential for growth”, but only because there’s no where to go but up.
Oh, and it will also be the reason why it’s so important to make the tax cuts permanent!
February 25th, 2006 at 10:24 amZero battalions? That’s up from last week!
February 25th, 2006 at 10:36 amI think its Amazing how simple Iraqies Know that to join an army involves killing people thats the basic job description….Join the Army and kill
yet America does not bear this common sense ???
February 25th, 2006 at 10:52 amKos has the great quote from our dear leader that explains that there are 50 battalions capable of operation in the ‘lead’ out of 125. I guess in the lead means we tell them if they retreat we shoot them – like the NKVD:) No, but it’s pretty pathetic.
That said I think they did a good job/thing during the funeral procession for the Al Arabiya reporter. They actually stayed with the procession the whole way – even after they got hit once by gunmen and then by a roadside bomb – deaths – 3 i believe.
That’s the exception and I know the reporter was very well respected and the forces were probably sunni. Still, it seemed to be the most competent/brave thing I’ve hear the security forces ever do.
So, no Iraqi army units can operate without our support=we intervene in their civil war.
I’d agree that we have some sort of obligation to protect them, but that really has to be weighed against the fact that our intervention will really piss them off – and that we don’t have enough troops to do an effective job.
It’s all very sickening. I think it’s been clear for awhile that this was going to happen – an intensification of the sectarian violence which has been going on at a lesser level – if you can call daily murders a lesser level – for some time. I believe the prospect of civil war has probably been something alot of us have been thinking about for awhile.
It’s all very, very sad. I guess the Bush spin will be that ‘we went through a civil war AND a revolutionary struglle again the English so see, the Iraqis have it better than us’. Woops, I guess we are sort of the English, so they get the same century worth of violence in a few years. Yay for them.
I’m not a fan of isolationism/nativism but I am definately not a fan of occupation for no real reason. Afghanistan is a reason and if there were more troops there we’d have control outside of Kandahar. And we’d probably get Bin Laden – but of course he’s not an issue.
And yes, it’s why democrats are pulling a 43-41 lead over repubs on national security for the first time in a long, long while – although it’s heavily affected by DPW. The problem there is the midterms are awhile away which gives the repubs a chance to bash DPW and seperate themselves from King George.
I remember going to my parents place after Bush was elected and saying something to the effect that ‘that idiot is going to start a war’. He didn’t agree. I then said he was going to invade Iraq after Afghanistan later. He did agree.
Yes, he’s in the retired reserves except he’s a physician. Luckily for him he’s a doctor who has four specialities – only one of which is really needed – rehabilitation ie helping soldiers that have lost limbs recover in the US. The other 3 specialties get you sent abroad.
Oh, note the increases in the retired military insurance premiums bush is proposing. It’s a tripling. It’s breaking a promise and it changes copays. The new rate for retired noncommissioned officers is obscene – something like a 15th of their retirement for a family (20 year service). At least Dr/Colonel Dad fares a bit better in terms of percentage.
Just wait until the Judges start offering military service instead of prison. That’s a couple years away.
February 25th, 2006 at 10:55 amThis troop thing in Iraq makes me sick, along with all the other crap our corrupt leaders have pulled this week. Seems to me I remember a Rumsfeld press release just a couple of months ago with some major that there were 4 divisions of Iraq’s that were doing well and 1 that was up to our standards. What ever the hell that means. When will john q public realise that invading and occupying a country, distroying their people and infastructure and cramming down their throats “our” beliefs (Bush’s) does not work. Hell it’s not even working here. It takes a few week’s to train troops here and 3 years and hundreds of thousands killed over there and this is what Bush has accomplished. Quit this crap, get out, stop the money flow to corruption for Bush ,Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice etall. Not one more life lost and not one more dollar spent. Impeach the basterds, all of them, left, right and center that are responsible…..Latest down the pike, besides selling out the ports (22) BTW, is the 72 billion Bull shit Bush wants for Iran. We aren’t taking care of our own messes like Katrina, were buried in debt now, what the hell does it take folks. Stop this madness…Between Pombo, Cheney, Bush and Chertoff our own personal traitors to our constitution and dismantelers of our country we don’t need to be marching all over the G.D. globe telling others how to die or live…..Blessings
February 25th, 2006 at 10:55 am#10
The Iraqis that join up know that it provides a paycheck. They don’t care about Iraq – they care about making sure their families can eat.
There is extreme poverty in Iraq and that leads to extreme measures. Like taking those risks in order to keep your family eating.
The US soldiers do it for different reasons, ie some sort of patriotism, adventure, etc. The other is college funds which is more a complement for another reason, at least in the friends I know who have served. Alot of them go to my university – they’re still gungho on the military – well mostly here it’s marines due to the proximity of their bases – it’s where they were discharged.
Both reasons are vaild – but the Iraqis aren’t doing it to kill people – witness their fleeing the fighting. They’re getting killed trying to support their families – not Iraq.
February 25th, 2006 at 11:00 amIf Bush were to hit Iran oil prices would spike to 100 a barrel. That would lead to at least a mild recession.
The reason is not lost Iranian production (that’d only justify a say 15 premium perhaps 20). The reason is the waterway they can sabotage preventing oil exports from the regions. If they were really effective it’d hit 120.
They don’t set the price – OPEC only controls 40ish percentage of oil output – but they can affect it some. Most of it is the market traders who price in the fear, supply, demand, etc. Because the hedge funds, trading desks of the banks, etc have alot of liquidity and thrive on volatility there would be a jump into the futures market for oil. All that buying would really lift the price. They’d make money, lots of it, and we’d suffer in the short to medium term.
That said, Iran shouldn’t get the bomb. It really doesn’t matter that Israel has nukes – Iran is a theocratic dictatorship and it’s difficult to know what they’d do since they have little concern for their people.
February 25th, 2006 at 11:05 amThis story deserves it’s own article post. This means we will never get out of Iraq with the Bushco’s goals.
February 25th, 2006 at 11:18 am#14
February 25th, 2006 at 11:23 amGood Point
The same may apply to the possibility of all out civil war in Iraq as it does attacking Iran. (May be the oil barons need to rake in all they can before becoming irrelevent- “alternitive energy” is far more advanced than commonly known. Junior just discovered it- but “liberals” have been into it since the 70’s)
Being an Israeli apologist doesn’t change the fact that the Iranians may not see it your way,James. The nuclear genie left the bottle long ago. Do you actually believe that the Iranians,even the more militant ones, would use a “bomb” if they had one? How long would it take before their country was glazed over?
February 25th, 2006 at 12:24 pmI think the US can rattle whatever sabers we have left,it won’t stop them.
An attack by us,let’s say an airstrike to take out what we could, would be a death warrant for a lot of our troops in Iraq. I think you can worry all you want,but I’d feel better if Condi were to lean on Israel,India and Pakistan to sign the NNPT than to shake her finger at Iran.
“As Iraqis stand up, we will stand down. And when victory is achieved, our troops will then come home, with the honor they have earned. (Applause.)” – December 14, 2005
February 25th, 2006 at 12:29 pmthey squandered billions on ‘private security’ instead of on troops.
February 25th, 2006 at 12:35 pmWhy do we think Iraqis can be trained as soldiers anyway? The “elite” Republican Guard turned out to be all bark and no bite and every Iraqi soldier I see on the news looks like deputized versions of Gomer, Goober and Otis.
February 25th, 2006 at 12:59 pmGeorge Armstrong Bush.
Has a nice ring.
Way to lose the nation, asshat.
-GSD
February 25th, 2006 at 1:01 pm#14, James, what on earth do you mean by “It really doesn’t matter that Israel has nukes – Iran is a theocratic dictatorship”?
It bloody well does matter than Israel has nuclear warheads. Israel imbalances the entire middle-east with this power. Tell me, how does Israel’s possession of nuclear warheads increase the stability of the region?
I agree when you write “Iran is a theocratic dictatorship” but since you enjoy writing such bullshit about Israel, perhaps you should consider the factual reality that America is becoming a theocratic dictatorship too e.g.
1. American women in South Dakota now legally have to bear a rapist’s foetus to birth against their will. I wonder how many male American evangelists would like to experience this?
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060222/NEWS/60222020/1001
2. The President of the United States of America who states “God would tell me, “George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan.†And I did, and then God would tell me, “George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq …â€
No mention of Congress in any of that was there?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/10_october/06/bush.shtml
3. The President of the United States of America who endorses the teaching of ‘Intelligent’ Design (creationism) in science class. This was echoed by Governor Ernie Fletcher of Kentucky.
http://loom.corante.com/archives/2006/01/10/they_just_keep_piling_on.php
Not to mention the erosion of American civil rights, illegal non-compliance with the Articles of the Geneva Convention, refusal to join the World Court, the list goes on and on. It is precisely because of American dictatorship that my country is going down the U-bend. That’s why I’m proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with good Americans fighting fascism. If it was good enough for my Grandfathers then it’s good enough for me, wherever the fascists come from.
On topic, I think Bush wants civil war in Iraq as this fits neatly with his justification for not withdrawing – Iraqis can’t protect themselves. Did Nixon care about the loss of human (including American) life? Bush is a carbon copy fascist, he will consider the draft before he considers losing power, both political and economic in the middle-east. James, you would be wiser to consider the implications of Israel’s meddling in American foreign policy before writing such tripe.
February 25th, 2006 at 2:15 pmWe need to be ahead of Bush/Rumsfeld/Rove spin, however. Just imagine that in a month they claim that 20 Iraqi battalions are at Level 1 status. How does that compare to how many equivalent American battalions are in country? 130,000 / ~750 = 1763? If 173 American battalion-equivalents are in country and can’t control the insurgency, what good are 20 Iraqi battalions? Will the Iraqis need 250 Level 1 battalions to control and stamp out the insurgency? How long will that take? What if the insurgents/al Qaeda blow up one or more of the remaining three major Shiite shrines in Iraq? Are they being guarded by American forces? Would Iranian Shiites become so enraged that they storm into Iraq to take revenge?
February 25th, 2006 at 2:17 pm130,000 / ~750 = 1763?
130,000 / ~750 = 173? [of course.]
February 25th, 2006 at 2:19 pmQuestion;
What exactly do these men, who grew up with guns, war and violence, and after 2 years of intense training by the US Military, and being equipped with our equipment and tactics, need to learn yet to protect themselves?
When our dads were drafted in WW2, they got 8 weeks basic and maybe another month or two of specialty training, then they were shipped out to fight the crack elite troops of the German war machine.
By now these Iraqi troops should be able to disassemble an nuclear bomb under live fire with one arm tied behind their backs.
What the hell are we teaching them to do that takes 2 years???
February 25th, 2006 at 2:34 pmRemember these guys have been living in war conditions all their lives!
I think the truth is they are NEVER going to be ready, because they don’t want to fight for the US, which is what they feel they are doing.
There are currently more Iraqi army troops equipped and trained in the basics than Americans. In fact, there are close to 200,000 equipped Iraqi army soldiers!
I think they can ‘handle’ it if they want to.
Comment by worfeus — February 25, 2006 @ 2:28 pm
If we pull out I bet they find some motivation real quick
February 25th, 2006 at 2:34 pmWe could have trained them to be astronauts by now.
February 25th, 2006 at 2:44 pmLets face it “If Say China Invaded America and asked americans to join a newly constructed Army and the other half of the Americans were insurgents would you join that army”
No the answer would be everbody in America would be insurgents
February 25th, 2006 at 3:02 pmgood answer considering that the newly assembled American Army would be run by the Chinese
February 25th, 2006 at 3:05 pmAt least you can be pretty sure that no one is getting a blow job in the White House or wherever Clinton was getting his.
February 25th, 2006 at 3:24 pmIf China invaded America I we would all fight to the death, just like the Iraqis.
We wouldn’t care how benevolant they were.
February 25th, 2006 at 3:28 pmGood points all, it does appear we may be made to make a choice of marching in lock step for china, japan or dubi though. Since heir dictator puppett has sold us out to all the above…Blessings….Don’t forget also, with Chertoff and Pombo in the mix we will have to sign in and out of our sold out parks, wilderness and prestene areas, they will be owned by big oil and huge rich condo builders. That is if they let us out of the camps after our work detail..
February 25th, 2006 at 3:34 pmThen that is the answer to why theres nearly 1 battlalion only .despite Rumsfeld claims of there being 3 or 4 a couple months ago
February 25th, 2006 at 3:36 pmnow lets say China invaded America and was assembling an American peoples army and the republicans supporters thought great lets join and the democrate supporters became the insurgency
next would be a civil war ….But the answer would be Remove the Chinese Invaders …Then things would be back to normal and things go great for years to come and everythings rosy …Then up pops another Bush in future…Thats why you have a constitution written …your great leaders of the past and many european philosophers safegaurded your future from rogue Goverments
Also why we have human rights and also abolision of the death penalty so as not to be used by rogue goverments
I rest my case
February 25th, 2006 at 3:48 pmChina has no intention of invading a country that is willing to sell its self off piece by piece, they would destroy some of their assests.
February 25th, 2006 at 5:02 pm#37 – HoT TiP,
February 25th, 2006 at 7:40 pmYup, by about 290,000,000. The Europeans killed them off. Most of us came after the slaughter.
Mark Shields said yesterday, something to the effect that the U.S. has been able to take a 16 year old from rural America and fully train him for the military in 16 weeks.
February 25th, 2006 at 8:16 pmI don’t think the Iraqis are untrainable, I think the U.S. has refused to acknowledge and understand the difference in culture.
Rummy and Pace can make all their grand claims, but after three years, the facts speak for themselves.
100% = The proportion of people who read Thinkprogress who think that the combat readiness of those 700 troops out of the 109000 trained was actually what the success of the counterinsurgency campaign was riding on.
Seriously, you idiots really thought those 700 guys (or the 2100 when it was 3 units) were going to do something meaningful by themselves ?
Any of you think that when you’ve got the world’s most well funded and equipped military in country that it’s preferable NOT to counduct joint operations for troops with only two years training ?
No ? Just happy with the level of comprehension that one is less than three and zero is less than one I guess. Such insight.
February 25th, 2006 at 9:04 pmTank said: “Any of you think that when you’ve got the world’s most well funded and equipped military in country that it’s preferable NOT to counduct joint operations for troops with only two years training ?”
No — but, unlike you, most people on Thinkprogress don’t think going into Iraq was a good idea. In fact, it’s a stupid idea.
60% — the % of Americans who think going into Iraq was a good idea.
100% — the % of non-Americans (6.5 billion minus 320 million) who think the Iraq was was justified.
February 25th, 2006 at 9:26 pmWho is training these Iraqi soldiers? Where are they getting their training? At least American soldiers do not have to contend with people trying to REALLY kill them, while they are training. Given the lack of even the most basic equipment used by our troops, and the destruction from wear and tear, on the little they do have, what are these new “troops” going to be using ? Our military is doing the best they can. It is shameful that Bushco wants them to be responsible for creating a new army as well. They are so huge on “outsourcing”, why not “outsource” the training of the new Iraqi army ? Or maybe they don’t mind the lack of progress. Nahh….. couldn’t be that, could it ?
February 25th, 2006 at 9:40 pmComment by realist67 — February 25, 2006 @ 9:26 pm
No — but, unlike you, most people on Thinkprogress don’t think going into Iraq was a good idea. In fact, it’s a stupid idea.
60% — the % of Americans who think going into Iraq was a good idea.
So the majority of Americans and the majority of Iraqis (77%) think it was a good idea. WTF was your point again ? That people here don’t represent what the US population does ?
100% — the % of non-Americans (6.5 billion minus 320 million) who think the Iraq was was justified.
Oooooookay. I take it that was that the latest poll in Incoherent Counterproductive Magazine Monthly.
February 25th, 2006 at 10:29 pm#43 – Cyra Brown,
February 25th, 2006 at 11:35 pmSome of the Iraqi forces, the leaders, are being trained in European countries like Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Spain and innumerable Arab countries. They are subsequently armed with weapons ten to twenty years out of date. The insurgents have modern weapons, what would you expect the end result would be? I’m with you – this is insane. Crazy Eddie, where are you?
Tank, Have you forgotten the world protest of this illegal War from the Git Go?
China wasn,t behind us either, grow up little kiddy before you find yourself fighting a REAL WAR@ Dont think China dosnt have the MAN Power to overthrow our GVT!
Comment by HoT TiP — February 25, 2006 @ 11:33 pm
Little kiddy ?
February 25th, 2006 at 11:44 pmNimrod, the guy I replied to claimed there was 100% worldwide support for the Iraq invasion.
I’m the one saying that’s bullshit.
You’re the idiot who finds that too confusing.
ThinkProgress is apparently the bottom of the intelligence barrel.
#47 – Tank,
February 25th, 2006 at 11:57 pmGo to bed before your liver joins your appendix.
#47- If that’s how you feel, why are you here ? Perhaps you would be happier at RedState, casting your “pearls” of wisdom before more appreciative Republican “swine” ? You shouldn’t waste your time on us, as we are to stupid to benefit from your “gift”.
February 26th, 2006 at 12:02 am