By Ali Al-Mawsawi

September 2, 2006
Azzaman - Iraq- Original Article (English)    

Coalition commander, General Georges Casey, shakes hands
with an Iraqi Army officer during a handover ceremony in the
northern city of Tikrity. (above)

— BBC VIDEO NEWS: Britain's top General talks of series
of human tragedies; Horrific and merciless attacks erupt
around Iraq, Sept. 1, 00:03:00

[LATEST NEWS PHOTOS: Iraq].

'Outgunned?': Iraqi troops at an earlier security
handover ceremony in the town of Mahmoudiya, s
outh of Baghdad Aug. 15. (below).


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U.S. troops have passed Iraqi army command to the government, in a move that many here see as a prelude to the departure of foreign troops, or at least the curtailment of their combat activities. The Ministry of Defense has been formally notified by the United States of the transfer of authority.

In a statement faxed to this newspaper, the ministry said that as of Saturday, September 2, the government would be solely responsible for all combat operations carried out by Iraqi troops

"In an important step toward self-reliance, as of Saturday, the Iraqi Defense Ministry will assume the responsibility of commanding all Iraqi armed forces," the statement said. The government would now be, "directly in charge of Army, Air Force and Navy troops."

But the transfer may complicate rather than solve the security problems in the country. Practically speaking, Iraq has no Air Force, the Army lacks combat aircraft, helicopter gun ships and even military transport aircraft, and the navy is non-existent. Iraq's entire force consists of several mostly poorly equipped and trained land divisions.

The United States has stalled on Iraqi government's repeated demands to purchase modern weapons for the troops.

With no artillery or armor and in the absence of air cover, Iraqi troops are said to be outgunned by rebels in restive regions like Anbar, Mosul and Diyala.

There are also fears that the Army, which is already divided along sectarian lines, may become enmeshed in the current sectarian strife. Many Sunnis, who make up the core of the insurgency, have frequently complained of Army units taking sides in the conflict.

An Iraqi soldier at the site of another U.S. handover, the notorious Abu Ghraib
prison. This one
took place quietly on Saturday [Sept. 2].

—BBC VIDEO NEWS: U.S. Hands control
of Abu Ghraib prison back to Iraqis,
Sept. 2, 00:01:18

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But nonetheless, the government seems upbeat. The Defense Ministry statement hailed the transfer as a good step in the direction of defeating the insurgency.

"By taking over command, the Ministry of Defense will now be in charge of planning. This will enable it to direct operations aimed at crushing the rebellion and preserving Iraq as a democratic and independent state," the statement said.

VIDEO FROM QATAR: MUQTADA SADR WARNS

AMERICANS AND ARABS ABOUT OCCUPATION

Al Jazeera TV, Qatar: excerpts from an interview by Iraqi Shiite Leader Muqtada Sadr, Feb. 18, 00:04:29, Via MEMRI

"All the talk and all the rumors that if the American forces leave - or even if they don't leave - Islamic or Arab forces will enter - they, too, will be occupiers."

Iraqi Shiite Leader Muqtada Sadr