Military manpower
Military Age	18[1]
Availability	males age 18-49: 5,870,640[1] females age 18-49: 5,642,073[1]
Fit for military service	males 18-49: 4,930,074[1] females 18-49: 4,771,105[1]
Reaching military age annually	males 18-49: 198,518[1] females 18-49: 289,879[1]
Military Expenditures
Dollar Figure (USD$)	4.989 billion (01/11/06) [2] 2.46 billion [3] Iraqi soldiers march to their dining facility at Tadji, Iraq, June 3, 2004. ... United States one-dollar bill Canadian one-dollar coin (Loonie) One New Taiwan dollar Australian one-dollar coin 500 old Zimbabwean dollars The dollar (often represented by the dollar sign: $) is the name of the official currency in several countries, dependencies and other regions. ...
Percent of GDP	0.4% (Funding comes from U.S. Government)
Military Strength
Personnel	165,000[4]
Tanks	22 T-55 [5] 77 T-72 [6] Lion of Babylon [7] The T-54 and T-55 tank series was the Soviet Unions front-line main battle tank from 1947 until 1962, and remains in service throughout the world to this day, especially by former client states of the Soviet Union. ... The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1971. ... The Lion of Babylon tank (Asad Babil) was an Iraqi-built version of the Soviet T-72 tank MBT (main battle tank), assembled in a factory established in the 1980s near Taji, north of Baghdad. ...
Armoured Personnel Carriers	300 Spartan[5] 39 BTR-94[5] 44 MT-LB[5] 740 M-113 100 M1114 [8] 167 M1151 [8] Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are armoured fighting vehicles developed to transport infantry on the battlefield. ... The BTR-94 amphibious armoured personnel carrier is an Ukrainian modification of the Soviet eight-wheeled BTR-80. ... The MT-LB is a Soviet multi-purpose fully-amphibious armoured personnel carrier which was first introduced in the 1970s. ... The M113 during the Vietnam War The M113 is an armored personnel carrier family. ... This article refers to the Military HMMWV, not the civilian Hummer sold by General Motors The M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Humvee) is a military 4WD motor vehicle created by AM General. ...
Armoured fighting vehicles	22 DZIK-3[5] 72 Defender-110[5] An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is a military vehicle, protected by armour and armed with weapons. ... For other meanings, see Dzik (disambiguation). ... 80-inch Series I The Land Rover Series I, II, and III, Ninety, One Ten, 127, and Defender are off-road vehicles produced by the British manufacturer Land Rover. ...
Infantry Fighting Vehicles	50 BMP-1 [5]
Artillery	0 (2005 est.)
Aircraft	0 (2005 est.)

The Iraqi Regular Army is a component of the Iraqi Security Forces tasked with assuming responsibility for all Iraqi land-based military operations following the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. Because of the ongoing Iraqi insurgency, the Iraqi Army is designed to be an objective counter-insurgency force for a period of time until the insurgency is diminished to a level that the police can handle.^[9] Thereafter, the Iraqi Army will undergo a modernization plan which includes purchasing more heavy equipment. An M2 Bradley Infantry fighting vehicle. ... The BMP-1 is a Soviet infantry fighting vehicle which was first introduced in the early 1960s. ... Artillery with Gabion fortification Cannons on display at Fort Point Continental Artillery crew from the American Revolution Firing of an 18-pound gun, Louis-Philippe Crepin, (1772 – 1851) A forge-welded Iron Cannon in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. ... Look up aircraft in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Iraqi army soldiers from 4th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Division stand outside an Iraqi army compound in Buhriz, Iraq, Jan. ... The subject of this article is the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ... The Iraq resistance movement is the armed resistance by diverse groups to the coalition occupation of Iraq. ... Counter-insurgency is the combating of insurgency, by the government (or allies) of the territory in which the insurgency takes place. ...

The IA is currently being developed by the Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq (MNSTC-I) led by Lieutenant General Martin E. Dempsey. The Chief of Staff of the New Iraqi Army is General Babaker Shawkat B. Zebari. Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq, MNSTC-I, is the branch of the Multi-National Force-Iraq that is responsible for developing, organizing, training, equipping, and sustaining the Iraqi Security Forces, i. ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Lieutenant General Martin E. Dempsey is the commander of Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq, the coalition command responsible for recruiting, training, and equipping the Iraqi Security Forces. ... The term Chief of Staff can refer to: The White House Chief of Staff, the highest-ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States. ... Babaker Shawkat B. Zebari is a General in the New Iraqi Army. ...

Development

One of the many organizations created to replace the duties of the former Iraqi army (disbanded by U.S. Administrator of Iraq Paul Bremer on May 23, 2003 ^[10]), the New Iraqi Army was originally intended to comprise of 3 divisions numbering 40,000 soldiers in 3 years time. In the days leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Iraqi Regular Army consisted of 300,000 troops, organized into 5 corps. ... L. Paul Bremer Lewis Paul Bremer III, also known as Jerry Bremer, (born September 30, 1941) was named Director of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance for post-war Iraq following the 2003 invasion of Iraq to replace Jay Garner on May 6, 2003. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Coalition Military Assistance Training Team (headed by Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton) was the organization set up by the United States military with the responsibility of training and development of the new army. In June 2004, it was dissolved and forced to pass on that responsibility to the MNSTC-I (initially headed by Lt. Gen. David Petraeus) due to its focus on developing the military for traditional defense from a hypothetical invasion by its neighbors rather than providing security for the Iraqi people from the emerging threat posed by the Iraqi insurgency ^[11]. The Coalition Military Assistance Training Team (CMATT) is charged with the duty to train the new Iraqi Army. ... Major General Paul Eaton Major General Paul Eaton is a retired United States Army General and former Office of Security Transition Commanding General. ... David Howell Petraeus (born November 7, 1952) is a general in the United States Army and commander of Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I), the four-star post that oversees all U.S. forces in the country. ... The Iraq resistance movement is the armed resistance by diverse groups to the coalition occupation of Iraq. ...

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the Iraqi Army will in the end state be an approximately 137,500-person force based around an Army with 9 infantry divisions and 1 mechanized infantry division consisting of 36 brigades and 112 battalions. Nine Motorized Transportation Regiments, 5 logistics battalions, 2 support battalions, 5 Regional Support Units (RSUs), and 91 Garrison Support Units (GSUs) are intended to provide logistics and support for each division, with Taji National Depot providing depot-level maintenance and resupply. Each battalion, brigade, and division headquarters will be supported by a Headquarters and Service Company (HSC) providing logistical and maintenance support to its parent organization. The Army will also include 17 SIBs and a Special Operations Forces Brigade consisting of two special operational battalions.^[9] MNSTC-I commander Martin Dempsey stated June 2006 that the IA "will be built by the end of this calendar year".^[12] The United States Department of Defense (DOD or DoD) is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the military. ... Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq, MNSTC-I, is the branch of the Multi-National Force-Iraq that is responsible for developing, organizing, training, equipping, and sustaining the Iraqi Security Forces, i. ... Lieutenant General Martin E. Dempsey, as of April 2006, is the commander of the Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq (MNSTC-I). ...

The DOD reported that as of 19/02/07 there were a total of 103 operational army combat battalions with an additional 9 still in development^[13]. It also reported that the army had one mechanized battalion in the reserve^[13].

The New Iraqi Army excludes recruits that are former regime security and intelligence organizations members, personnel of the Special Republican Guard, top-level Ba'ath Party members, and Ba'ath Party security and militia organizations. ^[14]

Timeline

2003

• May 23 – U.S. Administrator of Iraq Paul Bremer dissolves all of Saddam Hussein's armed forces except the Iraqi Police under the impression from pre-war intelligence that the post-war security situation would be relatively calm. This would provide enough time to build a new army free of members from Saddam's former Ba'th Party. Bremer would later continue to defend his highly criticized decision stating that it was necessary to convince the Kurdish population of Iraq not to secede^[15].

• August 2 – The first battalion of New Iraqi Army recruits start a 9-week training course at a training base in Kir Kush^[16].

• October 4 – The first battalion of 700 New Iraqi Army recruits graduates from basic training. Governing Council President Dr. Ayad Allawi, Bremer, and other notable dignitaries are on hand to witness the graduation ceremony^[16].

is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... L. Paul Bremer Lewis Paul Bremer III, also known as Jerry Bremer, (born September 30, 1941) was named Director of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance for post-war Iraq following the 2003 invasion of Iraq to replace Jay Garner on May 6, 2003. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

2004

• April 5 – Several Iraqi Battalions refuse to fight following the US siege of Fallujah. ^{[citation needed]}

• August 14 – The NATO Training Mission-Iraq (NTM-I) is established at the invitation of the Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's Iraqi government in order to provide training, technical assistance, and assistance with equipping the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF)^[17]. Their focus will be on training mid to senior level personnel.

• September 20 – The Fallujah Brigade disbands after being sent in to secure the city.

is the 95th day of the year (96th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague. ... Allawi at a ceremony for the transfer of governmental authority to the Iraqi Interim Government. ... is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

2005

• September 19 – The Independent reports that approximately one billion US dollars have been stolen by top ranking officials from the Ministry of Defense including Hazim al-Shaalan and Ziyad Cattan^[18] . The depletion of almost the entire Ministry of Defense budget due to corruption cripples the effectiveness of the Iraqi Army.

• September 27 – A Joint Staff College is established in Ar Rustamiyah, Iraq^[19]. Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari is on hand to participate in the opening ceremonies. The center offers Junior Staff and Senior Staff Officer Courses designed for first lieutenants to majors. 24 specially selected Iraqi instructors have been preparing for 15 weeks under an intensive Train-The-Trainers program in order to immediately take on instructoral responsibilities once the facility opens. These instructors are now training students in the Joint Staff College with assistance from NATO advisers.

is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Independent is a British compact newspaper published by Tony OReillys Independent News & Media. ... Hazim al-Shaalan is Iraqs interim defence minister. ... Ziyad Cattan is a dual citizen of Poland and Iraq. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Ibrahim al-Jaafari Dr Ibrahim al-Eshaiker al-Jaafari (ابراهيم الاشيقر الجعفري) (born 1947) is the new Prime Minister of Iraq in the Iraqi Transitional Government following the elections of January 2005. ... First Lieutenant is a military rank. ... Major is a military rank the use of which varies according to country. ...

2006

• May 3 – The Iraqi Army command and control center opened May 3, 2006 during a ceremony at the Iraqi Ground Forces Command (IFGC) headquarters at Camp Victory^[20]. The IFGC is the operational headquarters of all 10 Iraqi Army divisions. The head quarter's mission is to exercise command and control of assigned Iraqi Army forces and, upon assuming Operational Control, to plan and direct operations to defeat the Iraqi insurgency. The IFGC is commanded by Lt. Gen. Abdul-Qadar.

• June 26 – The 9th Iraqi Army Division is certified and assumes responsibility of the battle space of north Baghdad province. Earlier certified divisions are the 6th IA division and the 8th IA division. Also, the 3rd battalion, 1st brigade, 3rd IA division became the third Iraqi battalion to assume responsibility for battle space in western Ninawa province.^[21] Three Iraqi divisions, 18 brigades and 69 battalions were in control of battlespace (including two police commando battalions)^[22]

• July 3 – The 5th Iraqi Army Division is certified and assumes responsibility for the battle space of Diyala province. Also, the IA took control of the maintenance contract for the Numaniyah Regional Support Unit (RSU). The An Numaniyah RSU site was the first of five RSUs to transfer responsibility the Iraqi Army.^[23]

• August 8 – The 4th Iraqi Army Division is certified and assumes responsibility for most of Salah ad Din, Sulaymaniyah and Tamim provinces, including the major cities Samarra and Tikrit.^[24]

• September 7 – The operational responsibility of the 8th Iraqi Army division is transferred to an all-Iraqi chain of command. The transfer shows that the Iraqi command and control-structure is ready to assume responsibility for counter-insurgency operations in vast areas of Iraq. The 8th IA division is the first to transfer to the Iraqi Ground Forces Command, and the transfer is hailed by US forces as an important milestone. ^[25]

• November 1 – The Iraqi 5th Motor Transport Regiment is transferred to the Iraqi chain of command. The 5th MTR is the fifth of 9 MTRs be transferred to the Iraqi Army divisions. During 2007, great effort will be invested in making the Iraqi Army able to sustain themselves logistically. (MTRs transferred in order of event: 8th, 4th, 6th, 5th and 1st (2 Nov).) ^[26]

• December 1 – The Iraqi Army 3rd division is certified and operational responsibility is transferred to the Iraqi ground forces command becoming the seventh Iraqi Army division to assume control from coalition forces, and the third division to now fall under the command and control of the Iraqi Ground Forces Command.^[27]

• December 21 – The Iraqi Army 2nd division is certified and assumes operational responsibility for counter-insurgency operations in the city of Mosul. ^[28]

is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Iraq resistance movement is the armed resistance by diverse groups to the coalition occupation of Iraq. ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Baghdad Governorate (Arabic: ‎ ) in the nation of Iraq includes the city of Baghdad and the surrounding metropolitan area, including Al Mahmudiyah and the infamous Abu Ghraib. ... Ninawa (in Arabic: نینوا ,in kurdish: Neynewa, in Assyrian: Nineveh) is a governorate (province) in Iraq, and the Arabic name for the biblical city of Nineveh in Assyria. ... is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Diyala (Arabic: ديالى) is one of the constituent governorates of the nation of Iraq. ... An Numaniyah is a city on the Tigris River in Iraq, located roughly 90 miles southeast of Baghdad in the Wasit Province. ... is the 220th day of the year (221st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Salah ad Din or Salâh-ad-Dîn (Arabic: صلاح الدين) is a governorate in Iraq. ... As Sulaymānīyah province is a province of Iraq, within the Kurdish Autonomous Region. ... At-Tamim (Kurdish Temîm, Arabic: التأمیم ) was the name of the Kirkuk governorate of the nation of Iraq under the Baath Party govenment. ... Map showing Samarra near Baghdad Sāmarrā (سامراء) is a town in Iraq ( ). It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Salah ad Din Governorate, 125 km north of Baghdad and, in 2002, had an estimated population of 201,700. ... Looking north along the Tigris towards Saddams Presidential palace in April 2003 Tikrit (تكريت, Tikrīt also transliterated as Takrit or Tekrit) is a town in Iraq, located 140 km northwest of Baghdad on the Tigris river (at 34. ... is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article deals with the military concept. ... In the military: The exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commander over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of the mission. ... The Iraq resistance movement is the armed resistance by diverse groups to the coalition occupation of Iraq. ... is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Mosul (Arabic: , Kurdish: موصل Mûsil, Syriac: Nîněwâ, Turkish: Musul) is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate. ...

2007

• February 15 – Operational control of the Iraqi Army 1st division is transferred to the Iraqi ground forces command. The 1st IA division is headquartered in Habbaniyah, Al Anbar and operates from Baghdad to Ramadi.^[29]

• February 23 – The Iraqi Army 10th division, based in Basrah, is certified and operational responsibility is transferred to the Iraqi ground forces command. The transition is hailed as an important milestone and allows Coalition forces to move to a more supporting role.^[30]

is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Al Anbar (Arabic: ‎ ) is an overwhelmingly Sunni Arab province of Iraq. ... Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Location of Basra Basra (also known as Başrah or Basara; historically sometimes called Busra, Busrah, and early on Bassorah; Arabic: البصرة, Al-Basrah) is the second largest city of Iraq with an estimated population of about 1,377,000 in 2003. ...

Structure

Iraqi Ground Force Command (IGFC)[11]

• 1 Div (Iraqi Intervention Force): – Fallujah [12]
  • 1 Bde
  • 2 Bde
  • 3 Bde
  • 4 Bde

• 2 Div: – Mosul [13]
  • 1 Bde
  • 2 Bde
  • 3 Bde
  • 4 Bde

• 3 Div: – Al Kasik [14]
  • 1 Bde
  • 2 Bde
  • 3 Bde

• 4 Div (being upgraded to Mech): – Tikrit [15]
  • 1 Bde
  • 2 Bde
  • 3 Bde
  • 4 Bde (Samara brigade)

• 5 Div (Iron): – Balad [16]
  • 1 Bde
  • 2 Bde
  • 3 Bde

• 6 Div: – Baghdad [17]
  • 1 Bde
  • 3 Bde [18]
  • 4 Bde
  • 5 Bde

• 7 Div (Infantry): – West Al Anbar Province [19]
  • 1 Bde
  • 2 Bde
  • 3 Bde

• 8 Div (Infantry): – Al Kut [20]
  • 1 Bde
  • 2 Bde
  • 3 Bde
  • 4 Bde

• 9 Div (Mech--being upgraded to Armored): – Taji [21]
  • 1 Mech Bde
  • 2 Armored Bde
  • 3 Armored Bde
  • 4 Motorized Infantry Bde

• 10 Div: – Basrah [22]
  • 1 Bde
  • 2 Bde
  • 3 Bde
  • 4 Bde
  • 5 Bde

• 11 Div: – East Baghdad [23]
  • 1 Bde

• 12 Div (Mech): – At Tamin [24]
  • 1 Bde

• 13 Div: – An Nasiriyah/Basrah [25]
  • 4 Bde

Training

Iraqi soldiers perform a live-fire exercise

Training of Iraqi forces was initially done by private contractors, transitioned to coalition forces, and is now done by three Iraqi training battalions. Training has been impeded by domestic instability, infiltration by insurgents, and high desertion rates. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1400x1000, 1714 KB) Summary Feb. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1400x1000, 1714 KB) Summary Feb. ...

Since June 2004, the partnership between Coalition forces and Iraqi forces has increased due to the growing number of battalions in the Iraqi army, which then stood around 115. Out of this number, it was deemed that 80 of them were able to carry out operations in the field with Coalition support limited to logistics and strategic planning, whilst another 20-30 battlions still needed major Coalition support to carry out their operations.

As of October 5, 2005 the New Iraqi Army had 90 battalions trained well enough to be "deployed independently", i.e. without the help of others such as the United States.^[31] is the 278th day of the year (279th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

There are three levels of troop capability in the New Iraqi Army: one, two, and three. Level three refers to troops that have just completed basic training, level two refers to troops that are able to work with soldiers, and level one refers to troops that can work by themselves.

As of 4/27/07, Members of NATO's training mission in Iraq (NTM-I) have been running a small training facility staffed by 300 trainers at Rustamiyah^[3]. Training at NATO bases in Norway, Italy, Jordan, Germany, and Egypt have also taken place^[3]. NATO 2002 Summit in Prague. ...

MNF-Iraq are also conducting ongoing training programs for both enlisted men and officers including training as medics, engineers, quartermasters, military police, and so forth. Outside of the various courses and programs being held in-country, both American staff colleges and military academies have begun taking Iraqi applicants, with Iraqi cadets being enrolled at both the United States Military Academy and the US Air Force Academy. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Multinational Force Iraq. ... This article is about the title or occupation. ... Look up engineer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Quartermaster is a term usually referring to a military unit which specializes in supplying and provisioning troops, or to an individual who does the same. ... The MP Command providing security coverage at the Padang in Singapore during the National Day Parade in 2000. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... A military academy is a military educational institution. ... “USMA” redirects here. ... The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA or Air Force),[1] located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States, is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers for the United States Air Force. ...

^[32]

Recruits and enlisted men

Iraqi Army recruits undergo a standard eight week ^[3] basic training course that includes basic soldiering skills, weapons marksmanship and individual tactics^[33]. Former soldiers are eligible for an abbreviated three week "Direct Recruit Replacement Training" course designed to replace regular basic training to be followed by more training once they have been assigned to a unit.

Soldiers later go on to enroll in more specific advanced courses targeted for their respective fields. This could involve going to the Military Intelligence School, the Signal School, the Bomb Disposal School, the Combat Arms Branch School, the Engineer School, and the Military Police School.

Officers

The Iraqi Armed Service and Supply Institute located in Taji plays a significant role in training aspiring Iraqi non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers. The training is based on a Sandhurst model due to its shorter graduation time compared to West Point. Taji, located 30 km North of Baghdad, was the primary location for Iraqs indigenous long-range missile program. ... A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), also known as an NCO or noncom, is a non-commissioned member of an armed force who has been given authority by a commissioned officer. ... In the military, a commissioned officer is a member of the service who derives authority directly from a sovereign power, and as such holds a commission from that power. ... New College, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst New Colours are presented to RMAS, June 2005. ... “USMA” redirects here. ...

CMATT's main recruiting stations are located in Baghdad, Basra and Mosul. The most desired recruits are individuals who have prior military service or are skilled in specific professions such as first aid, heavy equipment operation, food service and truck driving. A recruitment target of approximately one thousand men is desired to eventually form a 757-man battalion. Soldier fallout usually occurs due to voluntary withdrawal or failure to meet training standards. Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... This article is about the city of Basra. ... Mosul (Arabic: , Kurdish: موصل Mûsil, Syriac: Nîněwâ, Turkish: Musul) is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate. ...

Due to the current demand for these battalions to become active as soon as possible, the first four battalions' officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted men are being trained simultaneously (in separate groups). Notable differences in training between CMATT and former training under Saddam's regime include schooling in human rights, the laws of land warfare, and tolerance in a multi-ethnic team. Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq and Chairman of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council from 1979 until his overthrow by US forces in 2003. ...

Based on the philosophy used by the U.S. military to boost its own size in response to World War II — that an army can be built faster by focusing on the training on its leadership rather than enlisted men — CMATT has pursued a similar strategy of focusing recruitment and training on commissioned and non-commissioned officers for the remaining 23 Iraqi battalions. Upon successful completion of officer training, these groups of officers will form the battalion's leadership cadre, which will then be responsible for overseeing its own recruitment, training, and readiness of its enlisted men. It is hoped that having the Iraqi leadership train its own will overcome problems faced by CMATT's training process; namely recruitment, desertion, and unit loyalty.

Military Transition Teams

All Iraqi Army battalions have embedded U.S. Military transition teams, according to the National Strategy for Victory in Iraq. The MiTTs advise their Iraqi battalions in the areas of intelligence, communications, fire support, logistics and infantry tactics. Larger scale operations are often done jointly with American battalions. This operational training aims to make the battalion self-sustainable tactically, operationally and logistically so that the battalion will be prepared to take over responsibility for battle space. A Military Transition Team, MiTT is a U.S. Army or Marine team that embeds and trains with the Iraqi Army, the Afghan National Army and other allies in the War on Terror. ... The National Strategy for Victory in Iraq is a document which articulate in 2003 the strategy of the United States President and provided an update on progress in various challenges and conflicts. ...

The DOD (as of March '07) reported that 6000 advisors arranged in 480+ teams were embedded with Iraqi units^[13]; however, in April, the Congressional Research Service reported that only around 4000 U.S. forces were embedded with Iraqi units at a rate of 10 per battalion^[3]. The Congressional Research Service is the public policy research arm of the United States Congress. ...

Command of all but one of the Iraqi Army's 10 divisions has been turned over to the Iraqi government; they are now under the command of Lt. General Ali Ghaidan Majid rather than being led by the American military.^[34] Lt. ...

Equipment

The 2nd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Division took delivery of 10 armored HMMWVs in March 2006

New Iraqi Army T-72

Virtually all of the equipment used by the former Iraqi Army was either destroyed by the U.S. and British during Operation Iraqi Freedom or was looted during the chaotic aftermath shortly after the fall of the Hussein regime. Four T-55 tanks however have been recovered from an old army base in al-Muqdadiyah and are now in service with the 1st Mechanized Division. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (3504x2336, 982 KB)http://www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (3504x2336, 982 KB)http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1500x996, 194 KB) Iraqi Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 71 Cavalry Regiment stand guard on the streets of Baghdad, Iraq February 27, 2006. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1500x996, 194 KB) Iraqi Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 71 Cavalry Regiment stand guard on the streets of Baghdad, Iraq February 27, 2006. ... The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1971. ... The subject of this article is the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ... The T-54 and T-55 tank series was the Soviet Unions front-line main battle tank from 1947 until 1962, and remains in service throughout the world to this day, especially by former client states of the Soviet Union. ...

On February 2, 2004 the U.S government announced that Nour USA was awarded a $327,485,798 contract to procure equipment for both the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi National Guard; however, this contract was cancelled in March 2004 when an internal Army investigation (initiated due to complaints from losing bidders) revealed that Army procurement officers in Iraq were violating procedures with sloppy contract language and incomplete paperwork. is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On May 25, 2004 the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) stated that they would award a contract worth $259,321,656 to ANHAM Joint Venture in exchange for procuring the necessary equipment (and providing its required training) for a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 35 battalions. The minimum bid would begin to be delivered immediately and further orders could be placed until the maximum of 35 battalion sets or September 2006 after the first order was fully delivered. is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), headquarted in Metro Detroit part of AMC, the U.S. Army Materiel Command, generates, provides, and sustains mobility, lethality, and survivability for soldiers, other U.S. Armed Services, and allies - all to ensure United States Army readiness. ...

In May 2005, Hungary agreed to donate 77 T-72's to the Iraqi Army, with the refurbishment contract going to Defense Solutions to bring the tanks up to operational status for an estimated 4.5 million dollars US^[35]. After a delay in the payment of funds from the Iraqi government[26], Iraq's 9th Army Mechanized Division received the tanks at its headquarters in Taji over a three day period starting on November 8, 2005^[35]. The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1971. ... Taji, located 30 km North of Baghdad, was the primary location for Iraqs indigenous long-range missile program. ... is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On July 29, 2005, the United Arab Emirates gained approval to purchase 180 M113A1 APCs in good-conditioned from Switzerland, with the intent to transfer them to Iraq as a gift. Domestic political opposition successfully froze the sale, fearing that the export would violate the country's longstanding tradition of neutrality as well as perhaps make Switzerland a target for terrorism[27]. is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The M113 is an armored personnel carrier family of vehicles in use with the US military and many other nations. ...

173 M113s, 44 Panhards, and 300 Spartans donated by Jordan, Pakistan and UAE. 600 Dzik-3 (Ain Jaria) APCs were ordered in Poland (option 1200) for delivery by Jan 2007. 573 Akrep APCs for delivery by Jan 2007. 756 Cougar APCs (option 1050) for delivery by November 2008. For other meanings, see Dzik (disambiguation). ... The Cougar is an armored fighting vehicle designed to be resistant to anti-vehicle mines and improvised munitions. ...

713 M1114s and 400 M1151s purchased for IA with delivery complete by end July 2006.

[28]

Challenges and criticisms

The New Iraq Army currently faces multiple challenges it must overcome to establish itself as the premier symbol of authority in Iraq. These include:

Iraqi insurgency

Based on Bush administration expectations that coalition forces would be welcomed as liberators after the overthrow of the Hussein regime, prewar planners had only been expecting minimal if any resistance from Saddam loyalists.

For a multitude of reasons, this ideal scenario has not materialized and now the New Iraqi Army faces an insurgency which has caused more coalition casualties than during the war itself. An increase in size as well as an increased sophistication in the nature of the attacks has seriously weakened the efforts of the New Iraqi Army to maintain internal security.

Equipment

The Iraqi Army continues to face significant challenges securing an adequate weapons supply because its equipment plans have never matched the threats it has faced.

Poor weapon registration

A 2006 report by the SIGIR notes that out of the 370,000 weapons turned over to the US since the fall of Saddam's regime, only 12,000 serial numbers have been recorded[29]. The lack of proper accounting for these weapons makes small arms proliferation to anti governmental forces such as insurgents or sectarian militias much easier. SIGIR may refer to: Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Special Interest Group on Information Retrieval, a Special Interest Group (SIG) of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) concerned about information retrieval Category: ...

Infiltration

The Iraqi Army is widely known to have been infiltrated by a multitude of groups ranging from local militias to foreign insurgents. This has led to highly publicized deaths and compromised operations (perhaps the most prominent being an Iraqi suicide bomber detonating his vest inside a US military base near Mosul killing more than 20 people [30]). Infiltration by elements not primarily loyal to the Iraqi Army presents an ongoing danger to the lives and operations of the entire army.

Inadequate intelligence gathering capabilities

The Iraqi Army currently has no formalized apparatus for the collection of military intelligence (similar to the DIA). Currently it must rely on intelligence provided by the United States for the majority of its operations. Developing a professional intelligence corps to augment the effectiveness of the Iraqi Army remains an ongoing challenge. The Defense Intelligence Agency, or DIA, is a major producer and manager of military intelligence for the United States Department of Defense. ...

Lack of adequate logistical support

The Iraqi Army presently must rely on US logistical support to conduct the majority of its operations^[36]. It currently lacks critical support services such as transportation, medevac capabilities, medical logistics, and intelligence. Until the Iraqi Army can develop these capabilities, it will continue to depend on US forces for support. A [PC-12] of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. ... Medical logistics focuses the general functions of logistics -- procurement, transportation, and storage -- to the specific product types, characteristics, and information content of pharmaceuticals, medical-surgical supplies, medical devices, and other products needed to support doctors, nurses, and other health and dental care providers. ... Military intelligence (abbreviated MI, int. ...

Insufficient advisory effort

As of October 2006, there are approximately 4000 US combat advisor's embedded with Iraqi units out of 130,000 US soldiers stationed in that country. Defense analyst Andrew Krepinevich argues that the roughly twelve advisors per Iraqi battalion (approximately 500 troops) is less than half the sufficient amount needed to efficiently implement the combat advisory effort [31]. Krepinevich argues that officers try to avoid taking on advisory tasks because the potential for promotion is much lower due to the US Army's culture of promoting officers that have served with a domestic units over ones that have served with foreign forces. [32] Andrew F. Krepinevich, Jr. ...

No military judicial punishment system

The Iraqi Army currently lacks a military judicial punishment system thus giving those in command little leverage over subordinates who would choose to disobey orders^[33].

Ineffective leadership at the Ministry of Defense

The current Minister of Defense, Abd al-Qadr Muhammed Jassim al-Mufraji, has limited experience and faces a number of hurdles impeding his effective governance. Some of the major problems include inheriting a staff that is notorious for favorism, corruption, and deeply divided along sectarian and ethnic lines. He rivals with the Minister of the Interior, Jawad al-Bolani, National Security Advisor Muwafaq al-Rubai, and Minister of Staff for National Security Affairs, Shirwan al-Waili. He has been criticized for not being able to stand up to the Badr Organization and Mehdi Army members which dominate his own party. In addition, as a Sunni he faces inherent challenges working within a Shiite-dominated government. A defence minister ( Commonwealth English) or defense minister ( American English) is a cabinet portfolio (position) which regulates the armed forces in a sovereign nation. ... -1... Badr Organization (Arabic: منظمة بدر ) originally Badr Brigade or Bader Corps was the armed wing of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI). ... The Mahdi Army, also known as the Mehdi Army or Jaish-i-Mahdi, is a militia force created by the Iraqi radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr in June of 2003. ...

Iranian influence

An estimated 150 Iranian intelligence officers, plus members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Command, are believed to be active inside Iraq at any given time[33]. For more than a year, US troops have detained and recorded fingerprints, photographs, and DNA samples from dozens of suspected Iranian agents in a catch and release program designed to intimidate the Iranian leadership[34]. Iranian influence is felt most heavily within the Iraqi Government, the ISF, and Shiite militias.

Governmental

Iranian influence is felt heavily within the SCIRI and its armed wing the Badr Organization. An unnamed US intelligence analyst has commented that Iran funds many different groups to ensure substantial influence regardless of which faction is likely to dominate the political or military power base [35]. The Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) is an Iraqi political party; its support comes from the countrys Shia Muslim community and from their fellow religionists in neighbouring Iran. ... Badr Organization (Arabic: منظمة بدر ) originally Badr Brigade or Bader Corps was the armed wing of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI). ...

Insurgency

Interrogation of members from the Qazali terror network revealed that the group had received substantial Iran-based training in explosives technology; arms and munitions; and some cases of advice. All this is alleged by the U.S. military to have taken place through the Quds force of the Iranian Republican Guards Corps[36]. The Quds Force (also Qods Force, Persian: ), in full English Jerusalem Force, is a special unit of Irans Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (often called revolutionary guards in the west). ... The Islamic Revolutions Guards Corp (Persian: سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی - Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enghelab-e Islami), also known as the Guards Corp (Sepah-e Pasdaran), or the Guards (Pasdaran), is the largest branch of the Islamic Republic of Irans military. ...

No national banking system

Poor levels of internal security have stifled attempts to build any national banking or credit systems. In lieu of such organizations, Iraqi units operate at any given time with an estimated 10-20% absenteeism rate due to soldiers temporarily leaving their units to deliver income back to their families ^[37]. This can be especially grueling if the unit is on deployment outside of their home province as the absenteeism time is naturally increased.

Lack of military medical services

All military hospitals under the Saddam regime were looted and abandoned during the 2003 invasion of Iraq; as such, the Iraqi Army currently fields no military hospitals[37]. There is only one military prosthetics facility in the country and virtually no mental health or burn treatment services. Wounded Iraqi soldiers are expected to receive treatment either at civilian hospitals or if possible, at Coalition medical facilities[38]. Corruption practices spurred partly by over-taxation at these civilian hospitals significantly drive up costs to the soldier. Due to overwhelming red tape within the Iraqi military compensation system, it is commonplace for the soldier to end up bearing the financial brunt of medical expenses [39]. The subject of this article is the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ... Red tape (or sometimes paperwork) is a derisive term for excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules that is considered redundant or bureaucratic and hinders or prevents action or decision-making. ...

See also

• Iraqi Air Force
• Iraqi Navy
• Iraqi Security Forces
• Military transition team
• Old Iraqi army

The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF) is the military branch in Iraq responsible for aerial warfare. ... Iraqi patrol craft in 2004 The Iraqi Navy is one of the components of the military of Iraq currently being reconstructed by UK-US Coalition forces in Iraq. ... Iraqi army soldiers from 4th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Division stand outside an Iraqi army compound in Buhriz, Iraq, Jan. ... A Military Transition Team, MiTT is a U.S. Army or Marine team that embeds and trains with the Iraqi Army, the Afghan National Army and other allies in the War on Terror. ... In the days leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Iraqi Regular Army consisted of 300,000 troops, organized into 5 corps. ...

References

Janes Defence Weekly (abbreviated as JDW) is a weekly magazine reporting on military and corporate affairs. ... The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is an international daily newspaper published by Dow Jones & Company in New York City, New York, USA, with Asian and European editions, and a worldwide daily circulation of more than 2 million as of 2006, with 931,000 paying online subscribers. ... is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 116th day of the year (117th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

Further reading

• Building Iraqi security forces : hearing before the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations of the Committee on Government Reform, House of Representatives, March 14, 2005
• Rebuilding Iraq: Resource, Security, Governance, Essential Services, and Oversight Issues: United States General Accounting Office Report to Congressional Committees, June, 2004
• Cordesman, Anthony H. : Prepared Statement before the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations of the Committee on Government Reform, March 14, 2005
• Cordesman, Anthony H., Iraqi Security Forces, Praeger/CSIS, 2006 ISBN 0-275-98908-9
• Cordesman, Anthony H., Iraqi Force Development: A Current Status Report July 2005-February 2006, February 15, 2006
• Iraqi Troops Killed 2 U.S. Soldiers