Iraqi Officers Going AWOL in America

Infighting, corruption force recommendation that US 'start over'

(NEWSER) - Corruption and sectarian biases are so deeply entrenched in the Iraqi police ranks that the force's structure must be “scrapped,” an independent panel will report to Congress next week. The recommendation stems from an examination of the 26,000-member police force that concludes “we should start over,” a military official tells the Times. More»

New study increases concern over respiratory issues

(NEWSER) - Why do so many young, previously healthy soldiers come back from the Middle East with respiratory problems, some so bad they can no longer pass a physical required for active duty? The question was made more urgent with the results of a new study showing that Iraq and Afghanistan veterans do indeed have a higher rate of respiratory illness than soldiers deployed in other areas. The study, thought to be the largest of its kind, shows that 14.5% of Iraq or Afghanistan veterans had respiratory illness, compared to just 1.8% of veterans deployed elsewhere, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

... or so Gawker thinks

(NEWSER) - A war correspondent whose rescues in the Mideast have cost several lives is a spy for Washington, Gawker claims, declining to name names or reveal, for "blazingly obvious reasons," the sources for this report, except to say that they are current and former special forces troops. "We don't do that for just journalists," said one of a recent rescue of the mystery reporter. "It's widely known that he is intelligence." It's not clear if his newspaper bosses are aware of his dual job. More»

(NEWSER) - The Iraqi robbers who killed eight security guards and stole $4.8 million from a Baghdad bank this week were army officers, not insurgents, the Los Angeles Times reports. Iraqi police revealed today the arrest of four elite officers assigned to guard Shiite Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi. "It was a genuine test" of Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a lawmaker said. "It is clear that everyone is subject to the law." More»

(NEWSER) - The Iraq government has tightly restricted the movements and activities of American troops remaining in cities, and some commanders blame the restrictions for a rise in attacks, the Washington Post. The day after Iraqis celebrated the pullback of US troops to outside cities, Iraq ordered the US military to cease all joint patrols in Baghdad, and move resupply convoys only at night. Military officials say they have been prevented from fully responding to attacks on US forces still engaged in training Iraqis. More»