Jones Commission Report: Interior “A Ministry In Name Only”Retired Marine General James Jones, a former NATO commander, helmed an independent inquiry into the state of the Iraqi security forces, and his top line is simple enough: the Army is incrementally improving, while the police are a shambles. Forces under the control of the Defense Ministry, “one of the better-functioning agencies” in Iraq are getting better at counterinsurgency, but they won’t be able to operate without U.S. assistance for the next year to 18 months. Meanwhile, the Shiite-dominated Interior Ministry, which controls the police, is an obstacle to a competent, non-sectarian force. (Read Jones’ conclusions here.)
The Iraqi police are improving at the local level predominantly where the ethnic makeup of the population is relatively homogenous and police are recruited from the local area. Police forces are hampered by corruption and dysfunction within the Ministry of Interior. In some areas, they have been vulnerable to infiltration, and they are often outmatched in leadership, training, tactics, equipment, and weapons by the terrorists, criminals and militias they must combat. The rate of improvement must be accelerated if the Iraqi police are to meet their essential security responsibilities. …
The Ministry of Interior is a ministry in name only. It is widely regarded as being dysfunctional and sectarian, and suffers from ineffective leadership. Such fundamental flaws present a serious obstacle to achieving the levels of readiness, capability and effectiveness in police and border security forces that are essential for internal security and stability in Iraq.
And with that, official recognition catches up with the facts on the ground.
Much more on the report soon. Jones testifies this morning before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
