Policing Iraq's Police

Cami McCormick: The Big Task For U.S. Troops Is Keeping Iraqi Police Honest

(CBS)  This story was written by CBS News correspondent Cami McCormick, embedded with U.S. forces in Baghdad.

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In an empty room at a police base, an Iraqi National Police lieutenant lays out his plan for a raid to arrest an alleged bomb-maker. He's drawn a diagram on the concrete floor and placed Styrofoam chunks where Iraqi vehicles will position themselves. Coke and Pepsi cans mark where the American backup vehicles will be.

U.S. Army Maj. Jeffrey Lopez questions him about how many vehicles he will take, which routes he'll use and asks when the suspect was last seen. Lopez also lectures him about security for the mission.

"This target is not a very big threat, but we're using this to practice for the bigger threats," Lopez tells him.

The American soldiers visit this police battalion almost daily, offering advice on everything from living arrangements on their base to planning raids and missions.

"They won't have fuel in their vehicles," said Capt. Geoffrey Cole. "Or they won't have batteries for their flashlights" for night raids.

"Their weakness is logistics," said Maj. Ryan King. "But they're very willing to do it, so that's a good strength. They're very courageous and willing to go out and do their job and take these guys out without the body armor and armored vehicles we have."

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Listen To Cami's Report

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Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says more Iraqi police and soldiers will pour into the capital this week to stage security operations.

But while these Iraqi National Police may be enthusiastic, their motives are often questionable. The National Police force is still heavily influenced by Shiite militias.

"You can't be sure if the target you're going after is a good guy or a bad guy," Lopez said. "Most of the National Police are Shiite, so it's usually a Sunni target."

That's why the Americans are now over-seeing operations from the planning phase, to execution.

"None of the National Police are supposed to be conducting raids without their Transition Teams (American advisors)," Lopez said. "That means every target they go after, there should be an American involved. The reason is because they were going out and executing targets, some of them based on sectarian issues."

During the planning of this particular raid, the American soldiers ask that the informant be brought in. The Iraqi Lieutenant hesitates at first, but delivers him the next day. The frail, 70-year-old man sits down in an office with the American soldiers and tells them he has seen the suspect in areas immediately following bomb blasts. But he also reveals the suspect killed his two sons for refusing to join a militia.

Then the Americans learn the suspect may be an Iraqi policeman, as well as an ally to Coalition forces.

"If it's the same guy we think it is, he's an informant for our guys," says Lopez.

The suspect is not thought to belong to any militia group, and the Americans grow suspicious of the police lieutenant's motives, believing he may be loyal to the militia of anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

"You may have a guy who is giving information on JAM (the Jaysh al Mahdi Army) and you have senior guys from JAM who don't appreciate that and are trying to take him out," Lopez said.

Lopez calls the raid off and waits for more intelligence, this time from the U.S. military. That will take time.

"We don't have all of the systems we have in the States to track these people," Lopez said.

Without that technology, the soldiers will develop their own intelligence by embedding with the National Police. Americans will be moving in with the two police battalions at this headquarters.

Razor wire has gone up around the building where the U.S. soldiers will live, and a tank is parked outside.

"Basically, a little American compound within the police compound," said Maj. Ryan King.

Iraqis taking the lead role is a key part of al-Maliki's plan to clear neighborhoods and disarm militants, but U.S. forces will be backing them up, and watching the Iraqi police every step of the way.

[srsradv]

This sounds to me like unbiased reporting and it is a success when we are able to damp down sectarian violence by embedding with the National Police. We need to do the same thing in hundreds of places and that's why sending additional forces is better than withdrawal ... unless you hope the beheaders, mosque and market bombers win.

[bm6005]

let's here from some of the forces as to whether they think they are making a difference,, lets hear from those who have come home what do they think, NOT from the media who has a bias, but our returned soldiers, on this medium... please guys come on and tell us the truth...
Posted by Gaye5

And what exacly is that bias the media has? Do you believe the military has no bias? Do you believe in "all of the successes we've had"? If that's so then why do the Iraqi's want us out? We have screwed up their country royally Dipstick!

[gaye5]

let's here from some of the forces as to whether they think they are making a difference,, lets hear from those who have come home what do they think, NOT from the media who has a bias, but our returned soldiers, on this medium... please guys come on and tell us the truth...

[olebd]

And any day now, Iraqis will be able to stand up on their own without any help.....


Uh-huh. Mission accomplished....right.

[bluestardad]

Guys these are Sunnis supported by Saudi Arabia killing the Shiites! No one is screaming about invade Saudi Arabia!

[karlimhof]

"The American soldiers visit this police battalion almost daily, offering advice on everything from living arrangements on their base to planning raids and missions."

Wow - that's impressive! And do we also give any advice on potted plants? This is a joke of tragic proportions. We have un-glued this whole country and there ain't no we're goin to put back together again. Time to go home, lick our wounds, and clean out our pigsty in Washington.

[dallison7]

"None of the National Police are supposed to be conducting raids without their Transition Teams (American advisors)," Lopez said. "That means every target they go after, there should be an American involved. The reason is because they were going out and executing targets, some of them based on sectarian issues."

Don't the administration and the commanders get it?? These people have no 'national identity'. They are tribal!! The tribes have been warring for 1500 years!! The only thing that kept them in check was the iron hand of a dictator. Countries in that part of the world are held together, as best they can, by figureheads whom they either fear or worship. This ill-concieved invasion and removal of the governing power of a sovernign nation has unleashed the demon again. We have done our damage! There is nothing more we can do!! The only hope for any kind of calm in the region is for the United States to get the hell out of there and let one of the area figureheads in the area take control. Yeah, I know, they control the oil... but we are the consumer. The oil will flow, no matter what! Ironic, isn't it though? Bush/Cheney rushed in ther hoping to take over the oilfields and look at what they have done!!

[obiquital]

Yes, this is our troops job.

[bluestardad]

Is this our troops Job?
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