W E D N E S D A Y , A U G U S T 0 3 , 2 0 0 5Iraqi Defense Nowhere NEAR Readyby Michael in New York on 8/03/2005 01:07:00 AMBush has been playing numbers with the Iraqi trained troopsfor years.</p><p> The MSM should be pounding away at this every day.Bush claims anywhere from 140,000 to 170,000 Iraqi troops,but then adds sotto voce that they fall into "three groups" -- asin 2000 trained and capable of fighting on their own, 9000capable of fighting if we help them, and about 150,000 who areno more prepared to secure peace in Iraq any more than youor I.</p><p> And even if they were fully trained (which they're not),there's a growing mountain of evidence that the Iraqis can'teven come close to properly equipping those numbers ofsoldiers anyway.</p><p> Can't do much good if you don't have a gun.So the insurgency is stronger than ever and Bush has all butannounced "Mission (Re)Accomplished!" and told everyonewe'll be pulling out in the spring as long as things don't getworse. (Things could get worse??!!)But here's a quiet little story saying the Iraqi Defense Ministrymay not quite be up to the task of securing the peace just yet.The shortcomings of the ministry, which was overhauledunder the American occupation authorities last year, are agrowing concern to the American commanders.</p><p> Hoping towithdraw large numbers of the 135,000 American combattroops in the next year, these commanders say their planshinge on a functioning ministry.</p><p> If American troops leavewithout one in place, they say, the Iraqi Army could quicklycollapse.How's this for a money quote?"What are lacking are the systems that pay people,that supply people, that recruit people, that replacethe wounded and AWOL, and systems that promotepeople and provide spare parts," said a top Americancommander in Iraq, who asked not to be identified becausehis assessment of Iraqi abilities went beyond the military'spublic descriptions.But we've got a plan:So concerned are military planners that, in the event thatAmerican combat troops do indeed leave over thenext year, they are preparing to keep large numbersof support troops and supplies in Iraq or in nearbycountries, ready to assist Iraqi units fighting insurgents,the American commander said.And here's an AP story in the Toronto Star about Iraqi investigationsinto hundreds of millions of dollars that have been wasted or gonemissing. (Thanks to threader aCanadianreader for pointing us tothis.)Oy vey.</p><p> HuffPost PoliticsMichael Shaw: Reading the Pictures: As If This PutsBirthers To Bedt - click for full size Seeing isbelieving? via RJ Eskow.</p><p> Stewart escalates....23 minutes ago FiredoglakeLate Late Night FDL: Holiday Road - LindsayBuckingham - Holiday Road.</p><p> I'm not headed toWallyworld but I am on the road tonight, headeddown to the San Francisco Bay Area for themeetup this...1 hour ago Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Tonight's RescueRangers are noddem, Elise, jlms qkw, taylormattd,Shayera, and joyful with vcmvo2 editing.* Thediaries up for rescue are: - *Vikin...2 hours ago Crooks and LiarsOpen Thread - Just a little something re the birtherthing.</p><p> Open thread below...2 hours ago EschatonLate Night - Go Electric.2 hours agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T VEnd Deadlock? 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