Iraqi Army
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{|{{prettyinfobox}} border=1 width=300 cellpadding=1 cellspacing=0 align=right
|-
! colspan=2 align=center bgcolor=#8888ff | '''''Iraqi army'''''
|-
| colspan=2 align=center | [[Image:Iraqi minstry of defence logo.jpg]]
|-
! colspan=2 align=center bgcolor=#8888ff | '''''Military manpower'''''
|-
| Military Age
| 18<ref name="CIA">CIA - The World Factbook: Iraq [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/iz.html]</ref>
|-
| Availability
| males age 18-49: 5,870,640<ref name="CIA" /><br /> females age 18-49: 5,642,073<ref name="CIA" />
|-
| Fit for military service
| males 18-49: 4,930,074<ref name="CIA" /><br /> females 18-49: 4,771,105<ref name="CIA" />
|-
| Reaching military age annually
| males 18-49: 198,518<ref name="CIA" /><br /> females 18-49: 289,879<ref name="CIA" />
|-
! colspan=2 align=center bgcolor=#8888ff | '''''Military Expenditures'''''
|-
| [[Dollar]] Figure (USD$)
| <del>4.989 billion</del> ([[2006-11-01]]) <ref name="IWSR01/11/06">Iraq Weekly Status Report 01/11/06 p.12, 16 [http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/75624.pdf]</ref><br />
2.46 billion <ref name="CRS [[2007-04-27]]">Iraq - Post-Saddam Governance and Security, <em>CRS Report for Congress</em>, p.41</ref>
|-
| Percent of [[GDP]]
| 0.4% (Funding comes from U.S. Government)
|-
! colspan=2 align=center bgcolor=#8888ff | '''''Military Strength'''''
|-
| [[Soldiers]]
| 131,800 <ref name="IWSR01/11/06" /> <ref name="CRS [[2007-04-27]]" /> <ref name="DOD 03/07">U.S. Department of Defense, <em>Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq (March 2007)</em>, p.23, p.25</ref> <ref name="DOD 06/07">U.S. Department of Defense, <em>Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq (June 2007) p.30, p.39 </em> p.30</ref>
180,000([[2008-03-20]])<ref>[http://www.mcclatchydc.com/iraq/story/19049.html McClatchy Washington Bureau | 08/19/2007 | U.S. says Iranians train Iraqi insurgents<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <br />([[List of countries by number of active troops|Ranked 29th]])
275,000 (By 2010)
|-
| [[Small Arms]]
| 100,000 - 200,000 [[AK-47]]
2,304([[2007-05-15]])<ref name="DOD 06/07" /> [[M4 carbine|M4]]<br />
27,238([[2007-05-15]])<ref name="DOD 06/07" /> [[M16A4]]
|-
| [[Tanks]]
|72 [[T-55]] <ref name="MEMB">Shapir, Yiftah S., Middle East Military Balance, ''Tel Aviv University'', 6, 7 [http://www.tau.ac.il/jcss/balance/Iraq.pdf]</ref><br/>
77 [[T-72]] <ref name="MEMB">Shapir, Yiftah S., Middle East Military Balance, ''Tel Aviv University'', 6, 7 [http://www.tau.ac.il/jcss/balance/Iraq.pdf]</ref><ref name="MSSI">Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq - February 2006 Report to Congress, 43 [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/2006/iraq-stability-security_2006-02.pdf]</ref>
330 [[M60 Patton|M-60A3]] <br/>
total 479
|-
| [[Armoured Personnel Carrier]]s
| 756 [[Cougar H]]<br />
100 [[FV103 Spartan|Spartan]]<ref name="MEMB" /><br />
98 [[BTR-80]]<ref name="MEMB" /><br />
50 [[BTR-94]]<ref name="MEMB" /><br />
44 [[MT-LB]]<ref name="MEMB" /><br />
233 [[M-113]]<br />
713 [[High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle#Usage in Iraq and political implications||M1114]] <ref name="JDWFEB08">Holdanwicz, Grzegorz. "Iraqi armed forces get armoured vehicles". ''[[Jane's Defence Weekly]]'', 21</ref><br />
400 [[M1151]] <ref name="JDWFEB08" />
total 2296
|-
| [[Armoured fighting vehicle]]s
| 507 [[DZIK-3]]<ref name="MEMB" /><br />
72 [[Defender-110]]<ref name="MEMB" />
total 579
|-
| [[Infantry Fighting Vehicle]]s
| 363 [[BMP-1]] <ref name="MEMB" />
|-
| [[Artillery]]
| 0 (2005 est.)
|-
| [[Aircraft]]
| 16 [[UH-1H]]
|}
The '''Iraqi Army''' is the [[land]] [[force]] of [[Iraq]], active in various forms since being formed by the [[United Kingdom|British]] during their mandate over the country after [[World War I]].
Today, it is a component of the [[Iraqi Security Forces]] tasked with assuming responsibility for all [[Iraq]]i land-based military operations following the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|2003 Invasion of Iraq]]. Because of the ongoing [[Iraqi insurgency]], the Iraqi Army is designed to be an objective [[counter-insurgency]] force for a period of time until the insurgency is diminished to a level that the police can handle.<ref name="MSSIAug06">[http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/pdfs/Security-Stabilty-ReportAug29r1.pdf Measuring Security and Stability in Iraq, August 2006]</ref> Thereafter, the Iraqi Army will undergo a modernization plan which includes purchasing more heavy equipment.
The Army is currently being developed by the [[Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq]] (MNSTC-I) commanded by US Army Lieutenant General James M. Dubik. The [[Chief of staff (military)|Chief of Staff]] of the Iraqi Army is General [[Babaker Shawkat B. Zebari]].
==Pre-2003 History==
The first Iraqi military forces established by the British were the Iraq Levies, several battalions of troops tasked to guard the [[Royal Air Force]] bases from which the British controlled Iraq. The threat of war with Turkey, who claimed the Ottoman ''vilyet'' of Mosul as part of their country, led the British to formed the Iraqi Army proper in 1921 and an air force six years later.<ref>Kenneth M. Pollack, Arabs at War: Military Effectiveness 1948-91, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln/London, 2002, p.149</ref>
Notable early Iraqi Army operations included the [[Anglo-Iraqi War]], the [[1948 Arab-Israeli War]], in which the Iraqis deployed an expeditionary force which peaked at 15-18,000 men, and operations against the Kurds from 1961-1970.<ref>Kenneth M. Pollack, Arabs at War: Military Effectiveness 1948-91, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln/London, 2002, p.150, 156.</ref> However in 1958 the Army started its long involvement in politics when Abd Al-Karim Qasim mounted a successful [[coup d'etat]], the [[14 July Revolution]], against the Iraqi monarchy. In 1961 a buildup of the Army close to [[Kuwait]], in conjunction with Iraqi claims over the small neighbouring state, led to a crisis with British land forces deployed to Kuwait for a period.
Later, Saddam Hussein, looking to build fighting power against Iran soon after the outbreak of the [[Iran-Iraq War]] doubled the size of the Iraqi army from 1981, when it numbered 200,000 soldiers in 12 divisions and 3 independent brigades, to 1985, when it had 500,000 men in 23 divisions and nine brigades. By the eve of the [[Invasion of Kuwait]] which led to the 1991 [[Gulf War]], the Army had 955,000 men, 42 infantry and seven armoured divisions, and 20 special forces brigades, grouped in seven corps, plus six [[Iraqi Republican Guard]] divisions.<ref>Brassey's, [[IISS]] Military Balance 1989-90, p.101</ref>
The [[IISS]] estimated the Army's composition immediately after the 1991 War as 6 'armoured'/'mechanised' divisions, 23 infantry divisions, 8 Republican Guard divisions and four Republican Guard internal security divisions.<ref>[[IISS]] Military Balance 1992-3</ref> [[Jane's Defence Weekly]] for 18 July 1992 stated that 10,000 troops from 5 divisions were fighting against Shia Moslems in the southern marshlands.
The [[IISS]] gave the Iraqi Army's force structure as of 1 July 1997 as seven Corps headquarters, six armoured or mechanised divisions, 12 infantry divisions, 6 RGF divisions, four [[Special Republican Guard]] Brigades, 10 commando, and two Special Forces Brigades.<ref>IISS Military Balance 1997-98</ref> It was estimated to number 350,000 personnel, including 100,000 recently recalled reservists.
===Structure at the start of the 2003 invasion===
In the days leading up to the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], the Army consisted of 300,000 troops, organized into 5 [[corps]]. In all, there were 11 [[infantry]] [[division (military)|divisions]], 3 [[mechanized]] divisions, and 3 [[armored]] divisions.
In January 2003, before the beginning of the 2003 Iraq War, the force was primarily located in eastern [[Iraq]]. The 5 corps were organised as follows:
*1st Corps, near [[Kirkuk]] consisted of the 5th Mechanized Division, 2nd Infantry Division, 8th Infantry Division and the 38th Infantry Division.
*2nd Corps, near [[Diyala]], had the 3rd Armored Division, 15th Infantry Division, and 34th Infantry Division.
*3rd Corps, near [[An Nasiriyah]], had the 6th Armored Division, the 51st Mechanized Division, and the 11th Infantry Division.
*4th Corps, near [[Amarah|Al Amarah]], included the 10th Armored Division, 14th Infantry Division and 18th Infantry Division.
*5th Corps, near [[Mosul]], had the 1st Mechanized Division, and the 4th, 7th, and 16th Infantry Divisions. In addition, there was an [[armored infantry]] division or battlegroup in western Iraq.
The Iraqi Army was [[Coalition Provisional Authority Order Number 2|disbanded]] by U.S. Administrator of Iraq [[Paul Bremer]] on [[May 23]], [[2003]] <ref name="ISMFD">Iraqi Security and Military Force Developments: A Chronology, 2, 4, 6, 7 [http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/060330_securityforceschronology.pdf]</ref> after its decisive defeat in the 2003 [[Iraq War]].
==Development==
One of the many organizations created to take on the duties of the former Iraqi army, the New Iraqi Army was originally intended to comprise of 3 divisions numbering 40,000 soldiers in 3 years time.
The [[Coalition Military Assistance Training Team]] (headed by Maj. Gen. [[Paul Eaton]]) was the organization set up by the United States military with the responsibility of training and development of the new army. In June 2004, it was dissolved and forced to pass on that responsibility to the MNSTC-I (initially headed by Lt. Gen. [[David Petraeus]]) due to its focus on developing the military for traditional defense from a hypothetical invasion by its neighbors rather than providing security for the Iraqi people from the emerging threat posed by the [[Iraqi insurgency]] <ref>Kalev I. Sepp - Prepared Statement before the House Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations regarding the training of Iraqi Security Forces, 2 {{cite web |url=http://reform.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Sepp%20Testimony.pdf |title= |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070214072814/http://reform.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Sepp+Testimony.pdf |archivedate=2007-02-14|format=PDF}}</ref>.
According to the [[United States Department of Defense|U.S. Department of Defense]], the Iraqi Army will in the end state be an approximately 137,500-person force based around an Army with 9 infantry divisions and 1 mechanized infantry division consisting of 36 brigades and 112 battalions. Nine Motorized Transportation Regiments, 5 logistics battalions, 2 support battalions, 5 Regional Support Units (RSUs), and 91 Garrison Support Units (GSUs) are intended to provide logistics and support for each division, with Taji National Depot providing depot-level maintenance and resupply. Each battalion, brigade, and division headquarters will be supported by a Headquarters and Service Company (HSC) providing logistical and maintenance support to its parent organization. The Army will also include 17 SIBs and a Special Operations Forces Brigade consisting of two special operational battalions.<ref name="MSSIAug06" /> [[Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq|MNSTC-I]] commander [[Martin Dempsey]] stated June 2006 that the IA ''"will be built by the end of this calendar year"''.<ref>[http://www.defenselink.mil/Transcripts/Transcript.aspx?TranscriptID=20 Pentagon Press Briefing with Lt.Gen Dempsey June 27, 2006]</ref>
The DOD reported that as of February 19, 2007 there were a total of 103 operational army combat battalions with an additional 9 still in development<ref name="DOD 03/07" />. It also reported that the army had one mechanized battalion in the reserve<ref name="DOD 03/07" />.
The New Iraqi Army excludes recruits that are former regime security and intelligence organizations members, personnel of the Special Republican Guard, top-level Ba'ath Party members, and Ba'ath Party security and militia organizations.
<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/nia.htm "New Iraqi Army (NIA)"]</ref>
==Timeline==
[[Image:Iraqi Soldiers Cooking.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Iraqi soldiers preparing meal.]]
===2003===
*[[May 23]] – U.S. Administrator of Iraq [[Paul Bremer]] dissolves all of Saddam Hussein's armed forces except the Iraqi Police under the impression from pre-war intelligence that the post-war security situation would be relatively calm. This would provide enough time to build a new army free of members from Saddam's former Ba'th Party. Bremer would later continue to defend his highly criticized decision stating that it was necessary to convince the Kurdish population of Iraq not to secede<ref>Bremer, Paul L., "The Right Call", ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', [[January 12]], [[2005]]</ref>.
*[[August 2]] – The first battalion of New Iraqi Army recruits start a 9-week training course at a training base in [[Kir Kush]]<ref name="CPA">http://www.cpa-iraq.org/pressreleases/20031007_Oct-04-NIAGrad.pdf</ref>.
*[[October 4]] – The first battalion of 700 New Iraqi Army recruits graduates from basic training. Governing Council President Dr. Ayad Allawi, Bremer, and other notable dignitaries are on hand to witness the graduation ceremony<ref name="CPA" />.
===2004===
*[[April 5]] – Several Iraqi Battalions refuse to fight following the US siege of Fallujah. {{Fact|date=April 2007}}
*[[August 14]] – The [[NATO]] Training Mission-Iraq (NTM-I) is established at the invitation of the Prime Minister [[Iyad Allawi|Iyad Allawi's]] Iraqi government in order to provide training, technical assistance, and assistance with equipping the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF)<ref>2005 NTM-I Year in Review [http://www.afsouth.nato.int/JFCN_Missions/NTM-I/Factsheets/Review.htm]</ref>. Their focus will be on training mid to senior level personnel.
*[[September 20]] – The Fallujah Brigade disbands after being sent in to secure the city.
===2005===
*[[September 19]] – ''[[The Independent]]'' reports that approximately one billion US dollars have been stolen by top ranking officials from the Ministry of Defense including [[Hazim al-Shaalan]] and [[Ziyad Cattan]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/printer_091905J.shtml |title= "What Has Happened to Iraq's Missing $1bn?" |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070810124208/http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/printer_091905J.shtml |archivedate=2007-08-10}}, Cockburn, Patrick, ''The Independent'' (UK)</ref> . The depletion of almost the entire Ministry of Defense budget due to corruption cripples the effectiveness of the Iraqi Army.
*[[September 27]] – A [[Staff college|Joint Staff College]] is established in Ar Rustamiyah, Iraq<ref>[http://www.afsouth.nato.int/JFCN_Missions/NTM-I/Articles/NTMI_A_10_05.htm NATO opens the Joint Staff College in Ar Rustamiyah in Baghdad, Iraq] - NATO Training Mission - Iraq</ref>. Prime Minister [[Ibrahim Jaafari]] is on hand to participate in the opening ceremonies. The center offers Junior Staff and Senior Staff Officer Courses designed for [[First Lieutenant|first lieutenants]] to [[major]]s. 24 specially selected Iraqi instructors have been preparing for 15 weeks under an intensive Train-The-Trainers program in order to immediately take on instructoral responsibilities once the facility opens. These instructors are now training students in the Joint Staff College with assistance from NATO advisers.
===2006===
*[[May 3]] – The Iraqi Army command and control center opened [[May 3]], [[2006]] during a ceremony at the Iraqi Ground Forces Command (IFGC) headquarters at Camp Victory<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mnf-iraq.com/Daily/May/060504.htm |title= |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20060708233659/http://www.mnf-iraq.com/Daily/May/060504.htm |archivedate=2006-07-08}}</ref>. The IFGC is the operational headquarters of all 10 Iraqi Army divisions. The head quarter's mission is to exercise command and control of assigned Iraqi Army forces and, upon assuming Operational Control, to plan and direct operations to defeat the [[Iraqi insurgency]]. The IFGC is commanded by Lt. Gen. Abdul-Qadar.
*[[June 26]] – The 9th Iraqi Army Division is certified and assumes responsibility of the battle space of north [[Baghdad Governorate|Baghdad province]]. Earlier certified divisions are the 6th IA division and the 8th IA division. Also, the 3rd battalion, 1st brigade, 3rd IA division became the third Iraqi battalion to assume responsibility for battle space in western [[Ninawa Governorate|Ninawa province]].<ref>http://www.mnf-iraq.com/Publications/TWII/060626.pdf This Week in Iraq - MNF-I Newsletter, [[June 26]], [[2006]]</ref> Three Iraqi divisions, 18 brigades and 69 battalions were in control of battlespace (including two police commando battalions)<ref>[http://www.mnf-iraq.com/PentagonPresser/060623-casey-rumsfeld.htm Pentagon Press Briefing June 23, 2006, with Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. George Casey]</ref>
*[[July 3]] – The 5th Iraqi Army Division is certified and assumes responsibility for the battle space of [[Diyala Governorate|Diyala province]]. Also, the IA took control of the maintenance contract for the [[An Numaniyah|Numaniyah]] [[Regional Support Unit]] (RSU). The An Numaniyah RSU site was the first of five RSUs to transfer responsibility the Iraqi Army.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mnstci.iraq.centcom.mil/docs/advisor/currentissue.pdf |title= The Advisor, MNSTC-I Newsletter, July 8, 2006 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20061112011941/http://www.mnstci.iraq.centcom.mil/docs/advisor/currentissue.pdf |archivedate=2006-11-12|format=PDF}}</ref>
*[[August 8]] – The 4th Iraqi Army Division is certified and assumes responsibility for most of [[Salah ad Din Governorate|Salah ad Din]] and [[At-Ta'mim Governorate|Tamim]] provinces, including the major cities [[Samarra]] and [[Tikrit]].<ref>[http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1894&Itemid=18 Daily story on MNF-I Webpage, August 9, 2006]</ref>
*[[September 7]] – The operational responsibility of the 8th Iraqi Army division is transferred to an all-Iraqi [[chain of command]]. The transfer shows that the Iraqi [[Command and Control (Military)|command and control-structure]] is ready to assume responsibility for [[Iraqi insurgency|counter-insurgency operations]] in vast areas of Iraq. The 8th IA division is the first to transfer to the Iraqi Ground Forces Command, and the transfer is hailed by US forces as an important milestone. <ref>[http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/10359 US hands over control of Iraq military | Iraq Updates<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
*[[November 1]] – The Iraqi 5th Motor Transport Regiment is transferred to the Iraqi chain of command. The 5th MTR is the fifth of 9 MTRs be transferred to the Iraqi Army divisions. During 2007, great effort will be invested in making the Iraqi Army able to sustain themselves logistically. (MTRs transferred in order of event: 8th, 4th, 6th, 5th and 1st (2 Nov).) <ref>[http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7392&Itemid=109 IA 5th MTR driving toward success - Daily article on www.mnf-iraq.com, 20 November 2006.]</ref>
*[[December 1]] – The Iraqi Army 3rd division is certified and operational responsibility is transferred to the Iraqi ground forces command becoming the seventh Iraqi Army division to assume control from coalition forces, and the third division to now fall under the command and control of the Iraqi Ground Forces Command.<ref> [http://www.defenselink.mil/news/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=2270 Iraqis to Command Four Northern Divisions by February, U.S. General Says, U.S. Department of defense, December 1, 2006]</ref>
*[[December 21]] – The Iraqi Army 2nd division is certified and assumes operational responsibility for counter-insurgency operations in the city of [[Mosul]]. <ref>[http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8357&Itemid=21 2nd IA assumes control of security operations in Mosul, Daily Article on MNF-Iraq.com, 22 December 2006]</ref>
===2007===
*[[February 15]] – Operational control of the Iraqi Army 1st division is transferred to the Iraqi ground forces command. The 1st IA division is headquartered in Habbaniyah, [[Al Anbar Governorate|Al Anbar]] and operates from [[Baghdad]] to [[Ramadi]].<ref>[http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9952&Itemid=21 MNF-I Press Release: Iraqi Government and 1st Iraqi Army Division assumes control. 16 February 2007]</ref>
*[[February 23]] – The Iraqi Army 10th division, based in [[Basrah]], is certified and operational responsibility is transferred to the Iraqi ground forces command. The transition is hailed as an important milestone and allows Coalition forces to move to a more supporting role.<ref>[http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10135&Itemid=128 MNF-I Press Release: Basrah IA division transfers to Iraqi command. February 23, 2007]</ref>
*[[November 1]] – The 7th IA division, based in Ramadi, is transferred to the Iraqi ground forces command, and thus all of the original ten IA divisions have transferred to Iraqi chain-of-command.<ref>[http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15012&Itemid=128 "7th Iraqi Army Division now Controlled by Iraqi Government", MNF-I Press Release November 03 2007]</ref>
*[[November 14]] – The Iraqi Army 14th division held its opening ceremony in Basrah.<ref>[http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15380&Itemid=128 "Operational Update: Gen. Zibari, Adnan al-Asadi, Lt. Gen. Dubik, Maj. Gen. Bergner, Nov. 21", MNF-I Press Briefing November 21 2007]</ref>
===2008===
{{Expand|date=June 2008}}
*[[March 25]] – The Iraqi Army launches its first solely planned and executed high-profile division-level operation, [[Battle of Basra (2008)|Operation Charge of the Knights]] in Basra. The IA receives Coalition support only in air support, logistics and via embedded advisors. Also, a British infantry brigade stationed in Basra were ready in a tactical overwatch role but did not need to intervene.
*[[April-June]] – Two brigades of the Iraqi Army 11th Division, supported by US forces, move into the southern third of [[Sadr City]] in an attempt to stop rocket and mortar attacks on US bases and the [[Green Zone]]. Following a [[Siege of Sadr City|month of heavy fighting]], the Mahdi Army agrees to let Iraqi forces into the remaining portion of the city. On May 20, troops from the Iraqi Army 3rd Brigade of the 1st QRF division and a brigade from the 9th Division move into the northern districts of Sadr City and begin clearing operations.
*May – Iraqi army forces launch Operation Lion's Roar (later renamed to Operation Mother of Two Springs) in Mosul and surrounding areas of Nineva province.
*June – The Iraqi Army moves troops to the southern Maysan province. Following a 4 day amnesty for insurgents to turn over weapons, the Iraqi Army moved into the provincial capital Amarah.
==Structure==
As of March 2008, the 180,000 soldiers of the Iraqi Army are organised into 105 battalions split into 13 divisions (1st-14th, the designation 13 not being used).<ref>[http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/pdfs/Signed-Version-070912.pdf Microsoft Word - Final Signed Version 070912.doc]</ref> The 13 divisions are split into four commands. The Baghdad Operational Command falls under the direct command of the prime minister in the National Operations Center, while the other three commands fall under the command of the Iraqi Ground Forces Command. Each Iraqi army division has four line brigades, an engineering regiment, and a support regiment. In 2009, a field artillery regiment will be added to each division, with an artillery battalion added to each brigade.<ref>[http://www.longwarjournal.org/multimedia/OOBpage13-TOE.pdf Microsoft Word - OOBpage13-TOE.rtf]</ref>
*'''National Operations Center''' – [[Baghdad]]
**'''Baghdad Operational Command''' – Baghdad<ref>[http://www.longwarjournal.org/multimedia/OOBpage7-IGFC-B.pdf Microsoft Word - OOBpage7-IGFC-B.rtf]</ref>[[Image:Dzik-3.jpg|thumb|right|242px|The 6th Iraqi Army Division's military police company received four Polish vehicles in March as part of an initiative by the Iraqi Defense Ministry to provide updated equipment to soldiers. The [[Dzik]]-3s are a huge upgrade from the light utility vehicles the MPs have used since the start of the war]]
***'''Karkh Area Command (KAC)''' - Western Baghdad. Responsible for the Kadhimiyah, Karkh, Mansour, Bayaa, and Doura Security Districts.
***'''Rusafa Area Command (RAC)''' - Eastern Baghdad. Responsible for the Adhamiyah, Rusafa, Sadr City, New Baghdad, and Karadah Security Districts.
***'''6th Motorized Division:''' – Western Baghdad
****1 (Cobras) Motorized Bde
****3 (Muthanna) Motorized Bde <ref>[http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/7/prweb408426.htm First Vietnamese-American to Serve as a Military Advisor to the New Iraqi Army] - PRWeb</ref>
****4 (Baghdad Eagles) Commando (AAslt) Bde
****5 (Defenders of Baghdad) Infantry (AAslt) Bde
***'''9th Armored Division''' – Taji
****1 (Desert Lions) Mech Bde
****2 Armored Bde - Attached to 2nd Division, Mosul
****3 Armored Bde - Attached to 14th Division, Basra
****4 Cavalry Bde - Attached to 2nd Division, Mosul
***'''11th Infantry Division''' (Probably planned to become an Armored Division) – East Baghdad
****1 (Tigers) Infantry Bde - Adhamiyah (NE Baghdad)
****2 Infantry Bde - Western Baghdad
****3 Infantry Bde - Sadr City
****4 Infantry Bde - Eastern Baghdad
***'''15th Division''' – South of Baghdad (forming)
*'''Iraqi Ground Force Command''' (IGFC)<ref>[http://www.longwarjournal.org/oob/index.php Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle (OOB)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
**'''Northern Operational Command''' - [[Samarra]]
***'''Ninewa Operational Command'''<ref>[http://www.longwarjournal.org/multimedia/OOBpage5-IGFC-M.pdf Microsoft Word - OOBpage5-IGFC-M.rtf]</ref> - Mosul
****'''2nd Infantry Division''' – Mosul
*****1 (Citadel) Motorized Bde
*****2 (Scorpions) Infantry (AAslt) Bde
*****3 Infantry Bde
*****4 Infantry Bde
*****2nd Motor Transport Regiment
****'''3rd Motorized Division''' – Al-Kasik
*****1 Motorized Bde
*****2 (Desert Lion) Motorized Bde
*****3 Motorized Bde
*****4 Bde (forming)
*****3rd Motor Transport Regiment
****'''16th Division''' – Ibril or Dohuk (transfer from KRG/Forming)
****'''17th Division''' – Ibril or Dohuk (transfer from KRG/Forming)
***'''Diyala Operational Command''' - Sulamaniyah, Diyala, Kirkuk, Salahadin<ref>[http://www.longwarjournal.org/multimedia/OOBpage6-IGFC-KB.pdf IGFC Kirkuk/Baqubah Sector] - Long War Journal</ref>
****'''4th Division (Probably being upgraded to Mech)''' – Tikrit
*****1 Motorized (AAslt) Bde
*****2 (Eagles) Motorized Bde
*****3 Infantry Bde
*****4 Bde (Samara brigade) (forming)
*****4th Motor Transport Regiment
****'''5th Infantry Division (Iron)''' – Diyala
*****1 Infantry (AAslt) Bde
*****2 (Desert Lions) Infantry (AAslt) Bde
*****3 Motorized Bde
*****4 Motorized Bde
*****5th Motor Transport Regiment
****'''12th Light Infantry Division (Probably planned to become Mech)''' – Tikrit
*****Splitting off from 4 Div in mid-2008
*****1 Light Infantry Brigade (former 1 Strategic Infrastructure Bde)
*****2 Light Infantry Brigade (former 2 Strategic Infrastructure Bde)
*****9 Light Infantry Brigade (former 9 Strategic Infrastructure Bde)
*****4 Bde
**'''Southern Operational Command''' - [[Nasiriyah]]
***'''Basrah IGFC Sector''' - Basra, al-Muthanna, Maysan, Dhi Qar<ref>[http://www.longwarjournal.org/enemy/wiring%20diagram%20Basrah%20Sector.php Basrah IGFC ] - Long War Journal</ref>
****'''Basrah Operational Command''' – Basrah
****'''10th Division''' – An Nasiriyah
*****1 Motorized Bde
*****2 Infantry Bde
*****3 Motorized Bde
*****4 Motorized Bde
*****10th Motor Transport Regiment
****'''14th Division (Probably planned to become Mechanised)''' – Basrah<ref>[http://www.longwarjournal.org/multimedia/OOBpage9-IAJoint%20forming.pdf Page 9: IGFC Basrah Sector] - Long War Journal</ref>[[Image:080216 3-14 graduation.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Members of Iraqi Army 3rd Brigade, 14th Division march during their graduation ceremony Feb. 13 2008. 5 weeks after graduation, the brigade took part in [[Battle of Basra (2008)|Operation Knight's Assault]].]]
*****1 Motorized Bde
*****2 Motorized Bde
*****3 Motorized Bde
*****4 Bde (forming mid 2008)
*****14th Motor Transport Regiment
***'''Mid-Euphrates IGFC Sector''' - Karbala
****'''8th Infantry Division''' – Al Kut
*****1 Motorized Bde
*****2 Motorized Bde
*****4 Motorized Bde
**'''Western Operational Command''' - [[Ramadi]][[Image:IraqiArmyHMMWV in Mar 2006.jpg|thumb|right|242px|The 2nd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Division took delivery of 10 armored HMMWVs in March 2006]]
***'''Ramadi IGFC Sector''' – Al-Anbar
****Anbar Operational Command – Ramadi
****'''1st (Iraqi Intervention Force) Infantry Division''' – Fallujah
*****1 Infantry Bde - Ramadi
*****2 Infantry Bde - Lake Thar Thar
*****3 Motorized Bde - Temporarily assigned to 5th Division in Diyala
*****4 Bde - forming
****'''7th Infantry Division''' – West Al Anbar Province
*****1 Infantry Bde
*****2 Infantry Bde
*****3 Infantry Bde
*****4 Light Armored Cavalry Bde (forming, delayed??)
*'''ISOF Div''' –
**Under training in the US.
==Training==
[[Image:18feb.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Iraqi soldiers perform a live-fire exercise using Egyptian [[Maadi rifles]]]]
Training of Iraqi forces was initially done by private contractors, transitioned to coalition forces, and is now done by three Iraqi training battalions. Training has been impeded by domestic instability, infiltration by insurgents, and high desertion rates.
Since June 2004, the partnership between Coalition forces and Iraqi forces has increased due to the growing number of battalions in the Iraqi army, which then stood around 115. Out of this number, it was deemed that 80 of them were able to carry out operations in the field with Coalition support limited to logistics and strategic planning, whilst another 20-30 battlions still needed major Coalition support to carry out their operations.
As of [[October 5]], [[2005]] the New Iraqi Army had 90 battalions trained well enough to be "deployed independently", i.e. without the help of others such as the United States.<ref>[http://billroggio.com/archives/2005/10/training_the_ir_1.php Training the Iraqi Army - Revisited, Again - The Long War Journal<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
There are three levels of troop capability in the New Iraqi Army: one, two, and three. Level three refers to troops that have just completed basic training, level two refers to troops that are able to work with soldiers, and level one refers to troops that can work by themselves.
Members of [[NATO]]'s training mission in Iraq (NTM-I) opened a Joint Staff College in ar-Rustamiya in Baghdad on September 27, 2005 with 300 trainers. Training at NATO bases in Norway, Italy, Jordan, Germany, and Egypt have also taken place and 16 NATO countries have allocated forces to the training effort.<ref>Jeremy M. Sharp and Christopher M. Blanchard - [http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL32105.pdf Post-War Iraq:Foreign Contributions to Training, Peacekeeping, and Reconstruction] - Congressional Research Service</ref>.
[[Multinational force in Iraq|MNF-Iraq]] are also conducting ongoing training programs for both enlisted men and officers including training as [[medic]]s, [[engineer]]s, [[quartermaster]]s, [[military police]], and so forth. Outside of the various courses and programs being held in-country, both American [[staff college]]s and [[military academy|military academies]] have begun taking Iraqi applicants, with Iraqi cadets being enrolled at both the [[United States Military Academy]] and the [[United States Air Force Academy|US Air Force Academy]].<ref>DJ Elliott and CJ Radin - [http://www.longwarjournal.org/multimedia/OOBpage3-JFC.pdf Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle] - Long War Journal</ref>
===Recruits and enlisted men===
Iraqi Army recruits undergo a standard eight week <ref name="CRS [[2007-04-27]]" /> basic training course that includes basic soldiering skills, weapons marksmanship and individual tactics. Former soldiers are eligible for an abbreviated three week "Direct Recruit Replacement Training" course designed to replace regular basic training to be followed by more training once they have been assigned to a unit.
Soldiers later go on to enroll in more specific advanced courses targeted for their respective fields. This could involve going to the Military Intelligence School, the Signal School, the Bomb Disposal School, the Combat Arms Branch School, the Engineer School, and the Military Police School.
===Officers===
The Iraqi Armed Service and Supply Institute located in [[Taji]] plays a significant role in training aspiring Iraqi [[non-commissioned officer]]s and [[commissioned officers]]. The training is based on a [[Royal Military Academy Sandhurst|Sandhurst]] model due to its shorter graduation time compared to [[United States Military Academy|West Point]].
CMATT's main recruiting stations are located in [[Baghdad]], [[Basra]] and [[Mosul]]. The most desired recruits are individuals who have prior military service or are skilled in specific professions such as first aid, heavy equipment operation, food service and truck driving. A recruitment target of approximately one thousand men is desired to eventually form a 757-man battalion. Soldier fallout usually occurs due to voluntary withdrawal or failure to meet training standards.
Due to the current demand for these battalions to become active as soon as possible, the first four battalions' officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted men are being trained simultaneously (in separate groups). Notable differences in training between CMATT and former training under [[Saddam Hussein|Saddam]]'s regime include schooling in human rights, the laws of land warfare, and tolerance in a multi-ethnic team.
Based on the philosophy used by the U.S. military to boost its own size in response to World War II — that an army can be built faster by focusing on the training on its leadership rather than enlisted men — CMATT has pursued a similar strategy of focusing recruitment and training on commissioned and non-commissioned officers for the remaining 23 Iraqi battalions. Upon successful completion of officer training, these groups of officers will form the battalion's leadership cadre, which will then be responsible for overseeing its own recruitment, training, and readiness of its enlisted men. It is hoped that having the Iraqi leadership train its own will overcome problems faced by CMATT's training process; namely recruitment, desertion, and unit loyalty.
===Military Transition Teams===
All Iraqi Army battalions have embedded U.S. [[Military transition team]]s, according to the [[National Strategy for Victory in Iraq]]. The MiTTs advise their Iraqi battalions in the areas of intelligence, communications, fire support, logistics and infantry tactics. Larger scale operations are often done jointly with American battalions. This operational training aims to make the battalion self-sustainable tactically, operationally and logistically so that the battalion will be prepared to take over responsibility for battle space.
The DOD (as of March '07) reported that 6000 advisors arranged in 480+ teams were embedded with Iraqi units<ref name="DOD 03/07" />; however, in April, the [[Congressional Research Service]] reported that only around 4000 U.S. forces were embedded with Iraqi units at a rate of 10 per battalion<ref name="CRS [[2007-04-27]]" />.
Command of all but one of the Iraqi Army's 10 divisions has been turned over to the Iraqi government; they are now under the command of Lt. General [[Ali Ghaidan Majid]] rather than being led by the American military.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/15/world/middleeast/15embed.html Iraqi Military Faces Hurdles in Its Quest to Take Charge] - New York Times</ref>
==Equipment==
[[Image:New iraqi army tank.jpg|thumb|right|242px|New Iraqi Army [[T-72]]]]
[[Image:BTR-94.jpg|thumb|right|242px|A Ukrainian-built BTR-94 sits atop a flatbed truck awaiting transportation to Iraq, circa August 2004. Several hundred light armor vehicles were donated to the Iraqi government by Jordan.]]
[[Image:T-55 Iraq.jpg|thumb|right|[[T-55]] of 1st Iraqi Mechanized Brigade conducting a route security patrol near Taji, Iraq.]]
[[Image:T-55 Iraq 2.jpg|thumb|right|T-55 of 1st Iraqi Mechanized Brigade conducting a route security patrol near Taji, Iraq.]]
Virtually all of the [[Former Equipment of the Iraqi Army|equipment used by the former Iraqi Army]] was either destroyed by the U.S. and British during [[2003 invasion of Iraq|Operation Iraqi Freedom]] or was looted during the chaotic aftermath shortly after the fall of the Hussein regime. Four [[T-55]] tanks however have been recovered from an old army base in al-Muqdadiyah and are now in service with the 1st Mechanized Division.
On [[February 2]], [[2004]] the U.S government announced that Nour USA was awarded a $327,485,798 contract to procure equipment for both the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi National Guard; however, this contract was canceled in March 2004 when an internal Army investigation (initiated due to complaints from losing bidders) revealed that Army procurement officers in Iraq were violating procedures with sloppy contract language and incomplete paperwork.
On [[May 25]], [[2004]] the [[U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command]] (TACOM) stated that they would award a contract worth $259,321,656 to ANHAM Joint Venture in exchange for procuring the necessary equipment (and providing its required training) for a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 35 battalions. The minimum bid would begin to be delivered immediately and further orders could be placed until the maximum of 35 battalion sets or September 2006 after the first order was fully delivered.
In May 2005, Hungary agreed to donate 77 [[T-72]]'s to the Iraqi Army, with the refurbishment contract going to [http://www.defensesolutions.net/ Defense Solutions] to bring the tanks up to operational status for an estimated 4.5 million dollars US<ref name="T72">[http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2005/11/iraq-receives-t72s-bmps-with-another-armored-brigade-planned/index.php#more Iraq Receives T-72s & BMPs - With Another Armored Brigade Planned - Defense Industry Daily<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. After a delay in the payment of funds from the Iraqi government<ref>[http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2005/11/iraqs-t72s-payment-received/index.php Iraq’s T-72s: Payment Received]</ref>, Iraq's 9th Army Mechanized Division received the tanks at its headquarters in [[Taji]] over a three day period starting on [[November 8]], [[2005]]<ref name="T72" />.
On [[July 29]], [[2005]], the [[United Arab Emirates]] gained approval to purchase 180 [[M113 Armored Personnel Carrier|M113A1]] APCs in good-condition from Switzerland, with the intent to transfer them to Iraq as a gift. Domestic political opposition successfully froze the sale, fearing that the export would violate the country's longstanding tradition of neutrality as well as perhaps make Switzerland a target for terrorism<ref>[http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=1034590&C=europe Defense News (dead)]</ref>.
173 M113s, 44 Panhards, and 300 Spartans donated by Jordan, Pakistan and UAE. 600 [[Dzik]]-3 (''Ain Jaria'') APCs were ordered in Poland (option 1200) for delivery by Jan 2007. 573 Akrep APCs for delivery by Jan 2007. 756 [[Cougar (vehicle)|Cougar H APC]]s (option 1050) for delivery by November 2008.
713 M1114s and 400 M1151s purchased for IA with delivery complete by end July 2006.
[[Serbia]] has signed a US$230m deal with Iraq to sell weapons and military equipment, the defence ministry said in March 2008. It did not specify the weapons but Serbian military experts believe they include Serbian-made [[CZ-99]] hand guns,[[Zastava M21]] 5.56 mm assault rifles, machine guns, anti-tank weapons(most likly [[M79 Rocket Launcher|M79 "Osa"]],[[Bumbar]],or [[M90 Rocket Launcher|M90 "Strsljen"]]), ammunition and explosives and about 20 Lasta 95 basic trainer aircrafts. Iraq's defence Minister [[Qadir Obeidi|Abdul-Qadir al-Obaidi]] visited Belgrade in September and November to discuss boosting military ties with Serbia.<ref>[http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/25378 Serbia signs Iraq arms deal] - IraqUpdates.com</ref><ref>[http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/28/europe/EU-GEN-Serbia-Iraq.php Serbia seals multimillion arms deal with Iraq] - International Herald Tribune</ref>
The average Iraqi soldier's gear consist of a 6-colored "chocolate-chip" uniform or [[Desert Battle Dress Uniform|Desert Battle Unifrom]], a [[PASGT]] ballistic helmet, [[ballistic vest]], web gear, radio, grenades and an [[AK-47]] or, depending on the unit, M16 rifle. <ref>DJ Elliott & CJ Radin - [http://www.longwarjournal.org/multimedia/OOBpage15-Equipment.pdf Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle - Equipment] - Long War Journal</ref>
==Challenges and criticisms==
{{update}}
{{Expand-section|date=May 2007}}
<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:Iraqispecialforces.jpg|thumb|left|Iraqi soldiers take insurgent position, Iraq<br>]] -->The New Iraq Army currently faces multiple challenges it must overcome to establish itself as the premier symbol of authority in Iraq. These include:
===Iraqi insurgency===
Based on Bush administration expectations that coalition forces would be welcomed as liberators after the overthrow of the Hussein regime, prewar planners had only been expecting minimal if any resistance from the Iraqi people.
For a multitude of reasons, this ideal scenario has not materialized and now the New Iraqi Army faces an insurgency which has caused more coalition casualties than during the war itself. An increase in size as well as an increased sophistication in the nature of the attacks has
seriously weakened the efforts of the New Iraqi Army to maintain internal security.
===Equipment===
The Iraqi Army continues to face significant challenges securing an adequate weapons supply because its equipment plans have never matched the threats it has faced.
====Poor weapon registration====
A 2006 report by the [[Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction]] (SIGIR) notes that out of the 370,000 weapons turned over to the US since the fall of Saddam's regime, only 12,000 serial numbers have been recorded<ref>[http://www.sigir.mil/reports/quarterlyreports/default.aspx Reports to Congress] - Special Inspector General For Iraq Reconstruction</ref>. The lack of proper accounting for these weapons makes small arms proliferation to anti governmental forces such as insurgents or sectarian militias much easier.
===Infiltration===
The Iraqi Army is widely known to have been infiltrated by a multitude of groups ranging from local militias to foreign insurgents. This has led to highly publicized deaths and compromised operations (perhaps the most prominent being the 2004 attack on a US military base near Mosul in December 2004. More than 20 people, including 13 American servicemen, were killed when a suicide bomber wearing an Iraqi military uniform detonated his vest inside a dining tent.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-12-23-iraq_x.htm General: Suicide bomber was wearing Iraqi uniform] - USATODAY.com</ref>). Infiltration by elements not primarily loyal to the Iraqi Army presents an ongoing danger to the lives and operations of the entire army.
===Inadequate intelligence gathering capabilities===
The Iraqi Army currently has no formalized apparatus for the collection of military intelligence (similar to the [[Defense Intelligence Agency|DIA]]). Currently it must rely on intelligence provided by the United States for the majority of its operations. Developing a professional intelligence corps to augment the effectiveness of the Iraqi Army remains an ongoing challenge.
===Lack of adequate logistical support===
The Iraqi Army presently must rely on US logistical support to conduct the majority of its operations<ref name="brook07">O'Hanlon, Michael, Kenneth Pollack, The Brookings Institution, The Iraq Trip Report, p.6 Aug. 2007 [http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/research/2007august_iraqreport.pdf]</ref>. It currently lacks critical support services such as transportation, [[medevac]] capabilities, [[medical logistics]], and [[Military intelligence|intelligence]]. Until the Iraqi Army can develop these capabilities, it will continue to depend on US forces for support.
===Insufficient advisory effort===
As of October 2006, there are approximately 4000 US combat advisor's embedded with Iraqi units out of 130,000 US soldiers stationed in that country. Defense analyst [[Andrew Krepinevich]] argues that the roughly twelve advisors per Iraqi battalion (approximately 500 troops) is less than half the sufficient amount needed to efficiently implement the combat advisory effort <ref>Andrew F. Krepinevich - [http://www.csbaonline.org/4Publications/Archive/O.20060711.Send_In_The_Advisers/O.20060711.Send_In_The_Advisers.pdf Send in the Advisers] - Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA)</ref>. Krepinevich argues that officers try to avoid taking on advisory tasks because the potential for promotion is much lower due to the US Army's culture of promoting officers that have served with a domestic unit over ones that have served with foreign forces. <ref>[http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/7/prweb408426.htm First Vietnamese-American to Serve as a Military Advisor to the New Iraqi Army] - PRWeb.com</ref>
===No military judicial punishment system===
The Iraqi Army currently lacks a military judicial punishment system thus giving those in command little leverage over subordinates who would choose to disobey orders.
===Ineffective leadership at the Ministry of Defense===
The current [[Minister of Defense]], [[Abd al-Qadr Muhammed Jassim al-Obaidi]], has limited experience and faces a number of hurdles impeding his effective governance. Some of the major problems include inheriting a staff that is notorious for favorism, corruption, and deeply divided along sectarian and ethnic lines. He rivals with the Minister of the Interior, Jawad al-Bolani, [[National Security Advisor]] Muwafaq al-Rubai, and Minister of Staff for National Security Affairs, Shirwan al-Waili. He has been criticized for not being able to stand up to the [[Badr Organization]] and [[Mehdi Army]] members which dominate his own party. In addition, as a Sunni he faces inherent challenges working within a Shiite-dominated government.
===Iranian influence===
An estimated 150 Iranian intelligence officers, plus members of Iran's [[Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution|Revolutionary Guard]] Command, are believed to be active inside Iraq at any given time<ref name=wp20070125>Dafna Linzer - [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/25/AR2007012502199.html Troops Authorized to Kill Iranian Operatives in Iraq] - The Washington Post</ref>. For more than a year, US troops have detained and recorded fingerprints, photographs, and DNA samples from dozens of suspected Iranian agents in a catch and release program designed to intimidate the Iranian leadership<ref name=wp20070125 />. Iranian influence is felt most heavily within the Iraqi Government, the ISF, and Shiite militias.
====Governmental====
Iranian influence is felt heavily within the [[SCIRI]] and its armed wing the [[Badr Organization]]. An unnamed US intelligence analyst has commented that Iran funds many different groups to ensure substantial influence regardless of which faction is likely to dominate the political or military power base <ref>SABRINA TAVERNISE - [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/28/world/middleeast/28sadr.html?ex=1317096000&en=5f9450eeea4966f8&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Cleric Said to Lose Reins of Parts of Iraqi Militia] - New York Times</ref>.
====Insurgency====
Interrogation of members from the Qazali terror network revealed that the group had received substantial Iran-based training in explosives technology; arms and munitions; and some cases of advice. All this is alleged by the U.S. military to have taken place through the [[Quds force]] of the [[Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution|Iranian Republican Guards Corps]]<ref>Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service - [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2007/04/mil-070426-afps03.htm Petraeus: Interrogations Reveal Iranian Influence in Iraq] - Global Security</ref>.
It is also known that Iran supports [[Muqtada al-Sadr]]'s [[Mahdi Army]].
===No national banking system===
Poor levels of internal security have stifled attempts to build any national banking or credit systems. In lieu of such organizations, Iraqi units operate at any given time with an estimated 10-20% absenteeism rate due to soldiers temporarily leaving their units to deliver income back to their families
<ref name="IFD 04/26/07">
Cordesman, Anthony H., [http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/070426_iraqiforces_rev.pdf Iraqi Force Development and the Challenge of Civil War] [[April 26]], [[2007]], p.72
</ref>.
This can be especially grueling if the unit is on deployment outside of their home province as the absenteeism time is naturally increased.
===Lack of military medical services===
All military hospitals under the Saddam regime were looted and abandoned during the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]]; as such, the Iraqi Army currently fields no military hospitals<ref name=wp20070505>Karin Brulliard- [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/05/AR2007050501236.html For Iraqi Soldiers, A Medical Morass] - The Washington Post</ref>. There is only one military prosthetics facility in the country and virtually no mental health or burn treatment services. Wounded Iraqi soldiers are expected to receive treatment either at civilian hospitals or if possible, at Coalition medical facilities<ref name=wp20070505/>. Corruption practices spurred partly by over-taxation at these civilian hospitals significantly drive up costs to the soldier. Due to overwhelming [[red tape]] within the Iraqi military compensation system, it is commonplace for the soldier to end up bearing the financial brunt of medical expenses<ref name=wp20070505 />.
==See also==
* [[Iraqi Army Ranks Insignia]]
* [[Iraqi Air Force]]
* [[Iraqi Navy]]
* [[Iraqi Security Forces]]
* [[Military transition team]]
* [[Old Iraqi army]]
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
==Further reading==
*[http://www.365iniraq.com/ www.365iniraq.com Articles and pictures from an Iraqi Army transition team]
*[http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/02jun20051200/www.access.gpo.gov/congress/house/pdf/109hrg/20923.pdf Building Iraqi security forces : hearing before the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations of the Committee on Government Reform, House of Representatives, March 14, 2005]
*[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/congress/2005_hr/050314-christoff.pdf Rebuilding Iraq: Resource, Security, Governance, Essential Services, and Oversight Issues: United States General Accounting Office Report to Congressional Committees, June, 2004]
*[http://www.csis.org/media/csis/congress/ts050314cordesman.pdf Cordesman, Anthony H. : Prepared Statement before the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations of the Committee on Government Reform, March 14, 2005]
*Cordesman, Anthony H., ''Iraqi Security Forces'', Praeger/CSIS, 2006 ISBN 0-275-98908-9
*[http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/060215_iraqforceupdate.pdf Cordesman, Anthony H., ''Iraqi Force Development: A Current Status Report July 2005-February 2006'', February 15, 2006]
*[http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2100508 Iraqi Troops Killed 2 U.S. Soldiers]
*Kenneth M. Pollack, Arabs at War: Military Effectiveness 1948-91, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln and London, 2002, and Pollack's book reviewed in ''[[International Security]]'', Vol. 28, No.2.
*[http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0317/p06s03-woiq.html America's old Humvees add new luster to Iraqi fleet] - Christian Science Monitor, March 17, 2008
{{Armed Iraqi Groups in the Iraq War and the Iraq Civil War}}
[[Category:Military of Iraq]]
[[Category:Armies by country|Iraq]]
[[Category:Military history of Iraq]]
[[ar:الجيش العراقي]]
[[fr:Armée irakienne]]
[[ko:이라크의 군대]]
[[sv:Irakiska armén]]