The Iraq Army Is Losing It's War Against Insurgents

Iraqi security forces conducted a raid and weapons search in Hawija last week. Reuters

Fledgling Iraqi Military Is Outmatched on Battlefield -- Wall Street Journal

On Eve of Elections, Demoralized Army Is Losing Fight Against Islamist Militants

QARA TEPE, Iraq—Even as an al Qaeda-linked militant group celebrated a major victory in Western Iraq last month, militants from the same jihadist group launched another operation clear across the country.

In coordinated predawn attacks, gunmen blew up two bridges in a village outside the eastern town of Qara Tepe. They detonated a fuel tanker at a police base close to nearby Injana, shot 12 soldiers and incinerated their bodies. By afternoon, militants had attacked four other police and army checkpoints.

Instead of bolstering their ranks, some police and military checkpoints simply packed up and left. Lacking protection, hundreds of villagers fled their homes for larger towns.

Read more ....

My Comment: I remember a few years back that many U.S. Generals (including President Obama) were saying publicly that the Iraqi military was ready to assume control of the country .... their comments and remarks were further backed by the Iraqi government who no longer wanted U.S. military personnel training their soldiers. I also remember reading a lot of commentary from independent journalists/pundits/and commentators who had a different point of view. It looks like the President, his Generals, and the Iraqi government were wrong.

Update: Want to get more depressed over Iraq .... read this .... Iraq election holds little hope of change for town scarred by decade of war -- The Guardian