USA TODAY: NEW REPORT SAYS IRAQ SECURITY FORCES NOT READY

Report: Iraqi forces lacking
By Matt Kelley, USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2008-04-25-iraqsecurity_N.htm

WASHINGTON — Iraq's military and police forces need years of improvements before they have enough recruits, officers and support systems to secure the country, the government's Iraq reconstruction watchdog says in a report to be released today.

The report from Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen analyzed the Iraqi security forces as part of a review of the Pentagon's quarterly Iraq progress reports to Congress. Relying on Iraqi government figures, the latest such update in March says about 530,000 people are on the Iraqi security forces' payroll.

However, a "substantial number" of people on the payrolls of the Iraqi police and military have been killed or wounded, are on leave or never showed up for work, the inspector general's report says.

"The details included in the reports and other available information suggests a continuing need for caution in relying on the accuracy and usefulness of the numbers," the report says.

But the Pentagon says the data on Iraqi forces is reliable.