by Lieutenant General James M. Dubik
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Whether in Iraq or in the United States arguments remain as to the origins of the war as well as how it was conducted. But equally certain is this: most of the Iraqis that I've talked to are grateful for the American troops and families who have sacrificed so much and to the other nations of the coalition who have also contributed sons, daughters, and treasure to eliminate the Saddam regime and help create the evident progress in their country. They know that war is not over in Iraq, even if Iraq's enemies are far weaker than they had been. They also understand that Iraqi is in a far better place today than it was in 2006, and each year finds more progress. They may be frustrated that progress is not faster or more widespread, but they are not ungrateful for the freedoms and opportunities they now have.
Acknowledging this progress, President Obama outlined a "new page" for Iraq and highlighted the importance of a continued Iraqi/US relationship. This relationship appropriately rests upon Iraq's growing ability to "help itself," but recognizes the essential role the US can play in Iraq's future. I have returned to Iraq three times since I had responsibility for accelerating the growth of the Iraqi Security Forces during the 2007-8 surge, and in my view, the Ministry of Interior and the Iraqi Police Forces need assistance in the following three important priority areas.
Download the Full Article: Iraqi Police Priorities
LTG James Dubik (ret.) is a senior fellow at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). He is the author of Accelerating Combat Power in Afghanistan, a policy proposal and analytical work on the growth of indigenous security forces in Afghanistan. Prior to joining ISW, General Dubik was the commander of Multi National Security Transition Command-Iraq (MNSTC-I) from June 2007 to July 2008.
