Who knew Iraq had Potemkin Villages? ... or ... The (training) wheels are coming off Iraq!

posted by The Vidiot @ 4:37 PM Permalink

Fantasyland

Embedded trainers tell Gates they're pleased with Iraqi army progress

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today learned from a U.S. Army officer working closely with Iraqi forces that Iraqi units are gaining confidence in their abilities and are doing more to empower noncommissioned officers.
[...]
In a news conference a few hours later, Gates told reporters he was impressed and encouraged by what he heard from the Soldiers. He said he was particularly encouraged by the trust the Soldiers described developing between American and Iraqi troops.
[...]
The U.S. Soldiers "described these Iraqi soldiers as being very brave and very willing to be aggressive," Gates said.

Reality

Trainers Skeptical on Training

When Gunnery Sgt. Scott Stalker, one of 5,000 U.S. military advisors in Iraq, arrived at this sprawling base last spring, he was training 80 Iraqi soldiers to fire and maintain their rifles.

Now his class is down to 25.

"It almost feels like 'What are we here for?' " the Marine told Brig. Gen. Dana Pittard, the Army officer sent to Iraq in June to overhaul the Pentagon's military advisor program. "Now the philosophy is 'Train who's there.' "
[...]
Corruption and fuel shortages are endemic. And 75% of Iraqi soldiers don't show up for duty.

After $353,341,239,615 (that's $353 BILLION+ (and counting), fewer Iraqi troops are being trained!?
Well OK, so training the Iraqi troops isn't going so well. But we're doing better training their cops! Right? Right!?
Aw jeez, it was fantasyland again:

British, Iraqi forces raid rogue police unit

About 1,000 British and Iraqi troops raided a police station in the southern city of Basra on Monday

Sheesh, you can't trust the Government, the military, the cops ... except for the death toll it's starting to sound a lot like America.