Iraqi Military Experts Discuss Iraqi

Iraqi Military Experts Discuss Iraqi Army, Intelligence

From the USG Open Source Center, a translation of a transcript of a disccussion in Arabic by Iraqi military experts, carried by an Arabic-language Iranian satellite channel. Note that some of the things charged here are contradictory or implausible, but this discussion is a good window on what some Iraqis are thinking about the present situation.

Iranian Al-Alam TV “‘Iraq Today’ Program Views Iraqi Army
Al-Alam Television

Sunday, June 18, 2006 T21:50:25Z

Document Type: OSC Report

Today’s edition of Al-Alam TV’s “Iraq Today” program was presented by Baghdad-based Qasim al-Ubudi. The subject of discussion was the Iraqi army. The guests were Maj Gen Abd-al-Qazim al-Khuza’i, an “expert in military and security affairs”; Qasim Khudayr Abbas, a “legal expert”, and Salah al-Tukmahchi, a “political analyst” interviewed via video link from London. The first two guests were at the studio.

. . . The three guests agreed that the USA was not willing to create a strong Iraqi army to justify the presence of its troops in Iraq and that it was still needed. They were also unanimous that the dissolution of the Iraqi army by Paul Bremer was a “grave mistake”.

See the rest.