Iraqi Military Continues To Ramp Up / We're Gonna Win This Thing

[Christians4LessGvt]

Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle:
November 2007 Update
By DJ Elliott
November 8, 2007 6:06 PM
 
Iraqi & Coalition forces Order of Battle as of October 31, 2007.
 
The November 2007 updates to the Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle are now available at the ISF OOB Page.
The significant changes to the Order of Battle are summarized below:

Iraqi Special Operations Forces

The Iraqi Special Operations Force (ISOF) Operator Training Course graduated 36 personnel in October. This extremely challenging class had started with 1,200 students three months earlier. The three percent that graduated will be assigned to the 2nd Counter-Terrorism Battalion, Iraq's most elite ISOF battalion. Those that failed to complete the course will be assigned to one of the three other ISOF commando battalions. Of particular note, the training included use of the Iraqi Air Force Mi-17 helicopters which is the airframe chosen for the ISOF utility squadron. This ISOF support squadron is forming.

Iraqi Ground Forces Command

The five battalion strong (3,000 personnel) 4-6 Iraqi Army (IA) Brigade has taken over training of a "commando" course that is described as a three-week course in advanced infantry tactics. "The course is modeled after the 10th Mountain Division (LI) pre-Ranger course." This brigade is not the only element of the IA receiving advanced infantry training along commando/ranger lines. The 1-1-8 IA Battalion was also reported receiving similar training in a six week course in Diwaniyah. All six battalions have previous air assault experience.

This training could be in preparation for recruitment into the rapidly expanding ISOF that is growing from three to six commando battalions.

It could also be the beginning of a conversion to the Prime Minister's planned elite quick reaction battalions for IA light divisions outside of the Baghdad Area. These are not mutually exclusive options as recruiting for ISOF volunteers followed by conversion of the remaining elements is also possible.

Another possibility is that this training is being extended throughout the 6th IA Division to upgrade it. Since 12 of 18 battalions in 6th Division have air assault experience, it is possible that the 6th Division is being converted into a commando division.

One year ago, the Prime Minister's initiative to expand the IA by three divisions, five brigades, 20 battalions, and an ISOF battalion was announced. As noted above, the ISOF has formed its commando battalion in Basrah and is in the process of forming four more for Mosul, Anbar, Diyala, and Diwaniyah. The 11th and 14th IA Divisions are forming by the end of the year and the 12th IA Division is to form in mid-2008. The IA has also formed the 3-9, 4-9, 5-10, 4-4, 2-11, and 3-11 IA Brigades and the three strategic infrastructure brigades (1st, 2nd, and 9th) have been transferred from the Ministry of Oil to the IA which is in the process of re-equipping and re-training them. This has increased the IA from 35 to 44 brigades.

Brigadier General Swan confirmed that the current expansion plan is to standardize the IA at four brigades to the division and three battalions to the brigade. The plan is to grow the IA to 52 brigades by early 2009 in the following order:


3-14 (Basrah; end 2007)
4-5 (Diyala; early 2008)
4-7 (Rutbah; March 2008)
4-14 (Basrah; mid 2008)
4-3 (SW Ninawa; mid 2008)
4-12 (Salahaddin; late 2008)

The replacement brigades for the 1-10 and 4-1 were not mentioned and are probably scheduled for early-2009.

In parallel with this is the continued motorization of the IA and, more importantly, the upgrade of IA formations with indirect fires elements, which continues from the bottom up. IA companies have received their mortar sections and battalions are receiving their mortar batteries. Following that would be the brigades' field artillery/heavy mortar battalions starting 2008. Then the divisions' artillery regiments start to form in 2009. The IA divisions are also forming their own training centers for individual, local leadership, battalion staff, range, collective task, military operations in urban terrain, and close-quarter drill training.

Iraqi Air Force

The Iraqi Air Force also continues to increase training and capabilities. The Iraqi Flight Training School has formed and has a goal "to graduate 160 pilots per year -- 80 fixed wing pilots and 80 rotary wing pilots." Due to some confusion and discrepancies in reporting, Major Sidoti of the Coalition Air Force Training Team e-mailed the following:

"Officially these numbers are releasable, with approval of the MNSTC-I PAO [Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq Public Affairs Officer] (LtCol Brown), to clear up the misinformation that has been circulating via the wikipedia, FAS, and GlobalSecurity websites. At the flight school: 12 Cessna 172s will be in country by end of 2008. 4 by the end of 2007. 5 Cessna Caravan Trainers will be in by 2008. There are currently 5 Bell Jet Rangers used for basic helo training. Another 5 are being purchased, timeline TBD [to be determined]. Not at the flight school: All IqAF [Iraqi Air Force] Huey II helicopters will remain at Taji. No additional Huey II orders. There were 32 on tap, but they were cancelled due to excessive cost overruns. There are currently 14 Mi-17s. An additional 14 are supposedly inbound from a Polish company (2008), but this was an Iraqi-only buy so we're not sure how many are actually coming in. The IqAF has ordered 8 more Mi-17v5s through the US FMS process, and additional 22 may be added to that order in the next few weeks. The Seeker ISR aircraft are officially grounded, and will be replaced with King Air and Cessna Caravan ISR platforms. In total: 3 Cessna Caravan ISR, 3 Cessna Armed Caravans, 1 King Air Light Transport, 5 King Air ISR."
Sidoti also e-mailed that: "They were considering expanding their Huey II fleet, but have instead decided to focus the build-up of their Mi-17 helicopter fleet. This will include aircraft configured for Medi-vac, Counter Terrorist/Special Forces Operations, and Battlefield Mobility." He further noted "...that they have 900+ former Mi-17 pilots and engineers ready and waiting to rejoin the AF. They have a lot of experience with MiL helicopters. The aircraft aren't the cheapest or most reliable, but it's what the Iraqis are most experienced with." Sidoti also confirmed the reported use of Mi-17s for ISOF support. "The Mi-17 is an all purpose helicopter built by the Russians. The ISOF are going to be working with the IqAF in operations, mostly insertion via fast rope with air cover. The ISOF are some bad-ass guys just waiting to get the same support for the IqAF they get from our Army Blackhawks. Sadly, the Iraqis would prefer to buy Blackhawks, but those take 24 months and are 20M a copy."

Also, the light attack aircraft program was taking too long going through the US so, the Iraqis are. "...doing their own market research right now and should be going sole-source to buy an LAA [light attack aircraft] soon. They really need one in the fight now. They are trying to get something in theater by 2008." In the interim, they are going to arm their reconnaissance aircraft. They are having Hawker Beechcraft add pylons to their King Air 350 reconnaissance aircraft so they can launch Hellfire missiles. King Air 350s are also being purchased for light transport duties.

Iraqi Ministry of Interior

The 5-2 National Police Brigade arrived at Numaniyah on October 6 for the four-week Phase II training. This is the final National Police Brigade to go through this training.

The 450-man National Police Quick Reaction Battalion deployed from Karbala to commence the 10-week Phase III training.

The National Police have also recruited 2,000 personnel from Anbar. More qualified Anbaris are applying for the police positions. The National Police have also formed the initial staff for formation of their support brigade. The brigade commander and key leaders have been identified and are acting, but, they have yet to get personnel. The brigade is in its infancy and entirely paid for by Government of Iraq. The Iraqi Ministry of Interior is doing its own purchases now.


http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2007/11/iraqi_security_force_5.php

[Michael Tee]

Questions:
1.  If the U.S. military itself couldn't stop the insurgency, why will Iraqis trained and equipped to U.S. military standards do any better?
2.  Whose orders are these guys going to follow, and for how long?

[Xavier_Onassis]

1.  If the U.S. military itself couldn't stop the insurgency, why will Iraqis trained and equipped to U.S. military standards do any better?
2.  Whose orders are these guys going to follow, and for how long?

One assumes that since there are far more Iraqis in Iraq than US troops, they will win because there are so many of them. We didn't because there were fewer of us. Plus, our guys don't tend to know much about the language and culture.

They will follow Dick Cheney's orders forever. Electrodes have been implanted in their brains, and they are hardwired to Lord Cheney's laptop.

============================================================
Tell us another one, please. That one was delicious.

[Christians4LessGvt]

"If the U.S. military itself couldn't stop the insurgency, why will Iraqis trained
and equipped to U.S. military standards do any better"

because they can and will be ruthless
they won't have to worry about what tim russert thinks
they won't have to conduct a war with one hand tied behind their back

[Xavier_Onassis]

they won't have to worry about what tim russert thinks
they won't have to conduct a war with one hand tied behind their back

==================================================
This was what they said about ARVIN, the Army of South Vietnam.
General Cao Ky was ruthless
President Thieu was ruthless

Thieu was ruthless in loading up a jet with so much treasure it barely cleared the runway.
Ky was also ruthless in looting the remains of the government of the Republic of Vietnam.

Saddam was ruthless. Isn't that why we needed to get rid of him? He had poison gas, nukes, rape rooms, weaponized smallpox and cheated at cards.

=========================
Can you give us an update on how many Christians you have united for Less Government?
Are there more than before, or are you just the only one still?

[Plane]

Questions:
1.  If the U.S. military itself couldn't stop the insurgency, why will Iraqis trained and equipped to U.S. military standards do any better?
2.  Whose orders are these guys going to follow, and for how long?

1. For a year or two both sets of force will be availible , the insurgents might be growig tired they are certinly takeing casualtys . If the survivors are forced to lay low long enough there will be little energy to oppose a well armed elected government .

2. The supprt of the public will always be key. A government that has the support of the public has multiplied force against insurgency . That the governent is elected does not garuntee it the support of all the people , but only most.

[Xavier_Onassis]

. For a year or two both sets of force will be availible , the insurgents might be growig tired they are certinly takeing casualtys . If the survivors are forced to lay low long enough there will be little energy to oppose a well armed elected government .

2. The supprt of the public will always be key. A government that has the support of the public has multiplied force against insurgency . That the governent is elected does not garuntee it the support of all the people , but only most.

===================================================
The key to success in Iarq will involve the police more than the army, because the army is not effective at combatting crimes like robberies and kidfnappings. The police are still in disarray and are not functoioning as they should.

The public will not support a government that cannot supply domestic tranquility and services like potable water and electricity.

It does not look at this time that this is even close to happening.

[Plane]

The public will not support a government that cannot supply domestic tranquility and services like potable water and electricity.

Why then would they prefer to support an insurgency that destroys water purifacation plants , oil pipelnes and electric power transmission lines?

[Michael Tee]

I wasn't really expecting rational answers to my questions, I was only hoping to expose the stupidity of the original claims.  The attempted answers were a bonus.  "The new Iraqi forces will win because they will be ruthless."  If they're ruthless, why would you expect them to tolerate a less ruthless government than Saddam Hussein's?  And why would a ruthless NEW Saddam Hussein be any more inclined to give away his oil to the defeated "superpower" than the old Saddam? 

The new fascist Amerikkkan brain - - worshiping nothing but power and no matter how ruthlessly exercised, but at the same time assuming for absolutely no good reason that the "ruthless" new rulers of Iraq would be more willing than the old rulers to hand over huge chunks of their vast oil wealth to foreigners who have just demonstrated to the entire world that they don't have what it takes to seize and hold the oil wells themselves. 

Or - - for those who are still stupid enough to believe that the war is not about oil, but "democracy" - - that an Iraqi army which is more "ruthless" than the U.S.A. (which means - - after Falluja, after Abu Ghraib, after Haditha - - about as ruthless as Adolf Hitler's armies) would sacrifice itself for the ideals of "democracy."  That would be some "democratic army" - - "We believe in democracy and the rule of law but anyone who fucks with us will wind up with a live cattle prod up his ass while we skin him alive from the soles of his feet to the scalp, working him over with a blowtorch at the same time."   There's a combination for you:  utter inhuman ruthlessness and the democratic idealism of Thomas Jefferson.  Happens all the time.

I think this is all pretty much working out as I had originally predicted, the Americans will be reduced to backing one side in a civil war (the side they think can win), to be determined as soon as the "political process" such as it is defines the new rulers of the country and the inheritors of the "new" "Iraqi" army.  As XO so astutely pointed out, the "Republic" of South Viet Nam and its puppet army provide an excellent model of what is going to happen to this army of worthless collaborators as soon as the puppet-masters leave.  It looks to me like the Americans already realize this - - they are cranking out a series of ludicrous optimistic reports on the success of Vietnamization, ooops!  Iraqization, and after pumping out enough bullshit, they will start to pull out and just pray to fucking Jeeeeziz that the ultimate collapse occurs on Hillary's watch, not theirs.  We're getting pretty close to the end of the road.  Oh, yeah and Casey Sheehan and his dumbass buddies will still be dead and that half-trillion ain't comin home anytime soon.

[sirs]

Boy, you can just literally visualize Tee, in his little corner of the world, rooting for islamic terrorists, rooting for insurgents bent on derailing democracy, and rooting for AlQueada.  That old saying is so applicable here....the enemy of my enemy is my friend.  Whatever it takes to defeat the evil AmeriKKKans is precisely that, whatever it takes

[Michael Tee]

<<Boy, you can just literally visualize Tee, in his little corner of the world, rooting for islamic terrorists, rooting for insurgents bent on derailing democracy, and rooting for AlQueada.  That old saying is so applicable here....the enemy of my enemy is my friend.  Whatever it takes to defeat the evil AmeriKKKans is precisely that, whatever it takes>>

Well, unfortunately, it's not really as simple as all that, sirs, as you probably know anyway.  But I can tell you, the Amerikkkans are definitely NOT the white hats in this little drama.

BTW, congrats on capitalizing the three "k's" in Amerikkka.  I like the initiative and the creativity of it all, but it's still a little bit over the top for a conservative guy like me.  You are showing real potential as a propagandist for third-world causes.  Who woulda thunk?  (Jealousy stabs through Tee like a knife.) 

[sirs]

BTW, congrats on capitalizing the three "k's" in Amerikkka.  I like the initiative and the creativity of it all, but it's still a little bit over the top for a conservative guy like me. 

LOL....and you also have some outstanding waterfront property in florida you'd love to sell me as well, oh mighty king of the over-the-top

[Richpo64]

>>1.  If the U.S. military itself couldn't stop the insurgency ... <<

They are stopping the insurgency. Al Qaeda is out of Baghdad. The NYTimes buried it, but they did report it.

[Michael Tee]

<<They are stopping the insurgency. Al Qaeda is out of Baghdad. The NYTimes buried it, but they did report it.>>

Nice try, Rich, but al Qaeda is not the insurgency and the insurgency is not al Qaeda.  Besides - - they'll be back.

[Richpo64]

Tell it to the New York Times.