Convoy duty is still task of U.S.: Iraqis not trained for dangerous role

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON -- No matter how many U.S. combat troops in Iraq eventually are replaced by Iraqis, an especially difficult and risky mission will remain an American responsibility: convoy duty.

The reality behind President Bush's assertion this week that Iraqi units are increasingly capable of standing on their own is that none can operate without heavy and sustained logistics support from the United States, according to military assessments.

This means the American soldiers who drive and guard convoys -- troops drawn mostly from Army Reserve and National Guard units that already have seen hard duty in Iraq -- will be exposed to highly dangerous conditions there for the foreseeable future.

more:http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-5/114266676531840.xml

[benburch]

1. Iraqi troops would loot the convoy themselves...

...nevermind it being dangerous, you cannot use foxes to guard the henhouse from wolves.

[grytpype]

2. So Iraq has an army without any logistics and supply.

Heckava job, Bushie.

I think that is the point where the army-standing-up phase is going to fail.

We are going to turn more and more area over to the Iraqi army, which will give the insurgents a base to attack our convoys from, until we have to stop the convoys at which time the Iraqi army will collapse from the lack of supply.

[bemildred]

3. Yep, and it has a "government" with no means to enforce it's will.

In other words a stooge government and a stooge army.