Iraqi forces' progress said exaggerated

WASHINGTON, May 16 (UPI) -- Progress in training and developing Iraqi security forces has been exaggerated, a U.S. expert said Wednesday.

"Some unclassified reporting ... has exaggerated this progress and Iraqi success to date," Anthony H. Cordesman, who holds the Arleigh A. Burke chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank, said in a statement Wednesday.

"It is going to take well over a year to bring the Iraqi Army to the level of readiness it needs to assume responsibility for most security activity, and it will then remain dependent on the United States for air support, artillery, armor, ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), and some aspects of sustainability. A strong advisory effort, including embeds, may be needed for several years to come," Cordesman said.

"Progress in creating an effective mix of Iraqi police forces has been much slower. Improvement is taking place, but it is not yet possible to predict the point at which the police can assume full responsibility even with U.S. and Coalition embeds and support. It will be at least several years," the analyst said.

"Much will depend on progress in Iraqi political conciliation, which is essential to remove popular support for the insurgents and civil violence, reduce the burden on the Iraqi security services, and ensure they will not fragment along sectarian and ethnic lines," he said. ......