Friday, July 20, 2007
UK sets up the Iraq Commission - an equivalent of the US Iraq Study Group
International, Reports
(Channel 4) - The Foreign Policy Centre (FPC), in partnership with Channel 4, has facilitated a UK Iraq Commission – the British equivalent of the US Iraq Study Group. The Iraq Commission is an independent, cross-party Commission that will produce recommendations on the future of Britain's role in Iraq. Full remit
It is jointly Chaired by Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, Baroness Jay of Paddington and Lord King of Bridgwater. The Chairs will be supported by nine Commissioners.
The Commission will examine all possible options for Britain's future role in Iraq and will consider evidence from a wide range of viewpoints. The Final Report will be delivered to the incoming Prime Minister and the leaders of the main political parties. Lord Ashdown said, "One of the greatest international challenges of our time is bringing peace and security to Iraq. It is both in Britain’s national interest, and a moral obligation, that a way forward is found for Iraq and its people."
Baroness Jay said, "The Iraq Commission aims to produce a long term strategy for Britain’s role in Iraq – this will incorporate the challenges of reconstruction, rebuilding and humanitarian relief efforts, as well as security for the Iraqi people and British troops." Lord King said, "The current situation threatens the stability of the region, and has major implications for the world as a whole. It is up to policy makers on all sides to consider how best to help resolve it, and enhance the security of Iraq itself and the region."
It is jointly Chaired by Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, Baroness Jay of Paddington and Lord King of Bridgwater. The Chairs will be supported by nine Commissioners.
The Commission will examine all possible options for Britain's future role in Iraq and will consider evidence from a wide range of viewpoints. The Final Report will be delivered to the incoming Prime Minister and the leaders of the main political parties. Lord Ashdown said, "One of the greatest international challenges of our time is bringing peace and security to Iraq. It is both in Britain’s national interest, and a moral obligation, that a way forward is found for Iraq and its people."
Baroness Jay said, "The Iraq Commission aims to produce a long term strategy for Britain’s role in Iraq – this will incorporate the challenges of reconstruction, rebuilding and humanitarian relief efforts, as well as security for the Iraqi people and British troops." Lord King said, "The current situation threatens the stability of the region, and has major implications for the world as a whole. It is up to policy makers on all sides to consider how best to help resolve it, and enhance the security of Iraq itself and the region."
Labels: Baroness Jay of Paddington, Foreign Policy Centre, Iraq Study Group, Lord Ashdown, Lord King of Bridgwater, UK Iraq Commission
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Report - evidence some Iraqi Security Forces are committing sectarian violence
Security
(CNN) -- U.S. trainers have been unable to develop an indigenous Iraqi force fully capable of taking over security for the country, according to a congressional report released Wednesday. Training Iraqi forces is key to the administration's plan to "stand down" American forces as the Iraqis "stand up." The $19 billion effort has produced "mixed results," particularly with the Iraqi Police Services, according to the report from the House Armed Service Committee's oversight subcommittee.
"The bottom line is that after three months of studying the U.S. effort to develop the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), we cannot assess the operational capability of these forces," the report said. "We are actually left with more questions than answers." The report says the Department of Defense "cannot report in detail how many of the 346,500 Iraqi military and police personnel that the Coalition trained are operational today."
The report includes 42 recommendations -- most for the Department of Defense and most requiring better reporting on the training effort -- but the subcommittee does not have legislative authority. The full Armed Services Committee must step in for any of the recommendations to take effect.
The report says "there is strong evidence that some [Iraqi Security Forces] are independently committing sectarian violence and other illegal activity;" adding that "the Iraqi Ministries of Defense and Interior are not capable of accounting for, supporting, or fully controlling their forces in the field."
The report was signed by 16 members of the bipartisan subcommittee.
The report also said that the subcommittee experienced difficulties getting information, documents and witnesses from the Department of Defense. "Congress must continue its constitutionally mandated role of oversight, whether or not the Department of Defense wants to participate," Meehan said in remarks included in the report. "The Congress and the American people would be better served if the Department didn't continue its current strategy of obfuscation, delay and denial."
Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of congressmen on Wednesday called on the president to reconvene the Iraq Study Group to provide a new assessment of the war in Iraq. The White House should act "as quickly as possible" to bring the Iraq Study Group back, said Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Virginia, who originally crafted the legislation that created the group in March 2006. The 10 members of the Iraq Study Group -- evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats -- spent nearly nine months gathering information and talking to experts about possible strategies for Iraq.
"The bottom line is that after three months of studying the U.S. effort to develop the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), we cannot assess the operational capability of these forces," the report said. "We are actually left with more questions than answers." The report says the Department of Defense "cannot report in detail how many of the 346,500 Iraqi military and police personnel that the Coalition trained are operational today."
The report includes 42 recommendations -- most for the Department of Defense and most requiring better reporting on the training effort -- but the subcommittee does not have legislative authority. The full Armed Services Committee must step in for any of the recommendations to take effect.
The report says "there is strong evidence that some [Iraqi Security Forces] are independently committing sectarian violence and other illegal activity;" adding that "the Iraqi Ministries of Defense and Interior are not capable of accounting for, supporting, or fully controlling their forces in the field."
The report was signed by 16 members of the bipartisan subcommittee.
The report also said that the subcommittee experienced difficulties getting information, documents and witnesses from the Department of Defense. "Congress must continue its constitutionally mandated role of oversight, whether or not the Department of Defense wants to participate," Meehan said in remarks included in the report. "The Congress and the American people would be better served if the Department didn't continue its current strategy of obfuscation, delay and denial."
Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of congressmen on Wednesday called on the president to reconvene the Iraq Study Group to provide a new assessment of the war in Iraq. The White House should act "as quickly as possible" to bring the Iraq Study Group back, said Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Virginia, who originally crafted the legislation that created the group in March 2006. The 10 members of the Iraq Study Group -- evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats -- spent nearly nine months gathering information and talking to experts about possible strategies for Iraq.
Labels: Frank Wolf, Iraq Study Group, Iraqi security forces, Iraqi security forces training, U.S
