US tells EU media only 5000 trained Iraqi troops-yet US Media says 52k troops

Pentagon covers up failure to train and recruit local security forcesPolice and army numbers falling far short of projections as post-election violence surges.

"The resulting confusion over numbers has allowed the US administration to claim that it is half-way to meeting the target of training almost 270,000 Iraqi forces, including around 52,000 troops and 135,000 Iraqi policemen. The reality, according to experts, is that there may be as few as 5,000 troops who could be considered combat ready." I liked "attach more US advisers to the fledgling Iraqi units stoke fears that this Vietnam-era policy will further delay any exit from Iraq." Link