American advisers training Iraqi police units face series of challenges

[unhappycamper]

American advisers training Iraqi police units face series of challenges
By James Warden, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, June 14, 2008

TAL AFAR, Iraq — Ken Wickelgren tried to soften any perceived criticism from the very first words out of his mouth.

We’re all here to learn, he told Iraqi police chiefs attending his class Monday at Forward Operating Base Sykes. I respect your experience. I’m going to learn from you, too.

"I want you to understand, by no means do I know everything," the civilian Iraqi police adviser concluded.

However, feelings were hurt as soon as Wickelgren opened with a video of a car bomb scene. The video was supposed to launch a general discussion about how to respond to a serious emergency. But Brig. Gen. Fawaz Mahmood, the Iraqi police district chief for the Tal Afar area, took it personally and began vigorously defending himself from an attack Wickelgren never made.

It was close to half an hour before Wickelgren got to his first PowerPoint slide.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=55546