BAGHDAD — Three years ago, the U.S. thinned out its presence in Baghdad and Iraqi forces could not stem the tide of fighting. By the end of June, Iraq’s forces will again be in control of their cities — and many Iraqis wonder if they are up to the task.
Publicly, the U.S. military insists it has full confidence in Iraq’s army and police to cope with challenges after the June 30 deadline for U.S. combat troops to leave Baghdad, Mosul and other cities.
Privately, however, some U.S. and Iraqi officials acknowledge no one can say with certainty whether Iraqis can perform until they assume the responsibility.
Many Iraqis fear that Sunni and Shiite extremists are laying low waiting for the Americans to pull back and won’t wait long to mount a challenge.
"The current bloodshed acts proved that Iraqi forces are not ready yet,” said Haider Abbas, a Shiite teacher in Baghdad.
Although U.S. officials insist Iraqi forces are better, they still face problems with supplies and logistics which limit their ability to operate on their own.
More importantly, many fear the security forces, most notably the police, still are under the influence of political groups and would not enforce the law evenhandedly.
"The U.S. withdrawal will worsen the situation,” said Hamza Mehdi, 29, who owns an auto parts shop. "There are too many unresolved issues.”
by the associated press
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