U.S.: At least 8 months before Iraqis can begin to take over security in Ramadi

Above: An Iraqi army soldier and an Iraqi policeman provide security during a dismounted foot patrol by 7th Iraqi Army soldiers in Ramadi in June.

The Iraqi army and police in the Anbar capital of Ramadi will need at least another eight months before they can begin to take over local security, a U.S. military officer said on Friday.

As new bloodshed and political turmoil continue to erupt around Baghdad, the Pentagon painted an upbeat picture of conditions in Anbar, a former al Qaeda stronghold where Sunni tribal leaders have turned against militants in recent months.

Army Col. John Charlton, commander of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, said daily attacks in Ramadi have fallen from 30-35 in February to one a day at present thanks in large part because of the growth of local police and army units.

But Charlton, who commands an area of about 500,000 residents centered on Ramadi, said local forces cannot function without U.S. military support because they are unable to provide basic needs including fuel, weapons and ammunition.

Read the rest at Reuters/Alternet

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