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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Good News from Iraq: 27 Aug 2008

From MNF-I, Conference Focuses on Future of ISF.

BAGHDAD — Leaders from Task Force Mountain, Multi-National Corps - Iraq and other units working with the Iraqi Security Forces met with Iraqi Army commanders for a one-day conference, Aug. 20.

"What we are trying to do is identify force generation needs. We are looking at the way ahead," said Capt. Steven Chadwick, an ISF coordinator with 10th Mountain Division.

The conference focused on manning, equipping and training the ISF to be a more effective and self-sustaining force.

"We already know where we are going to be in six months. We are looking two years-plus, trying to figure out what we see the IA looking like, what challenges we are going to encounter in getting to that end state," said Chadwick.

As insurgent attacks have slowed dramatically in the past ten months, new IA units have stood up at a rapid pace. The coalition troop surge gave the ISF a chance to accelerate their growth, said Lt. Gen. Frank G. Helmick, commander of Multi-National Security Transition Corp - Iraq.

"The [IA] knows how to conduct operations," said Chadwick. "They know how to clear rooms; they know how to conduct a cordon and search. They do that all the time, and they are doing that on their own, like in [recent operations in] Amarah. They are conducting major combat operations, like up in Diyalah right now, with minimal coalition support."

Read the rest here.