For US soldiers in Iraq, the country's fledgling army is still too green to be a trustworthy ally in their joint fight against insurgents and terrorists. "Beware the enemy - and beware the IA," a US sergeant with Bravo Company, 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana National Guard candidly told a group of his soldiers as they headed out on a recent operation, referring to the Iraqi Army.
The harsh but widely held opinion points to the difficulties US officials have as they seek to give increased authority to local forces, paving the way for an eventual US military withdrawal.
In one example, some 40 National Guard soldiers in seven Humvees raided the home of a suspected insurgent supporter. The Iraqi army used around 100 soldiers on the same operation, an AFP reporter witnessed. "You don't need that many people," said another sergeant with the same unit. "It just brings more confusion." The Iraqis often show less discipline and according to US soldiers, are rarely on time for scheduled rendezvous ahead of joint patrols.
A group of National Guardsmen supporting Iraqi soldiers at a checkpoint in the dangerous Amariyah neighbourhood, on the notorious road to Baghdad airport, lost patience and took over from their counterparts after just 15 minutes.
The Iraqis were slow letting cars through the checkpoint, creating an enormous vehicle backup and turning the soldiers into targets.
"I made the decision to shut down the traffic control point due to safety cause," said Captain Samuel James, a US army instructor assigned to the 4th Battalion of Iraq's 1st Brigade. "The way it is now, we are targets for IED (improvised explosives devices) and drive-by shootings," he said.
Lieutenant Ricky Thibodeaux with the Louisiana National Guard was assigned to support Iraqi soldiers at a separate checkpoint with his soldiers and Humvees. Instead he took over the position and re-positioned the Iraqis.
In their defence the Iraqi army is ill-equipped compared to their US counterparts. While the Americans have armoured Humvees, night vision goggles and first-rate weapons, the Iraqis drive pick-up trucks or old trucks with little or no protection, armed with mounted machine guns.
Most Iraqi recruits are young and have no previous military experience. A handful of soldiers that belonged to Iraq's old army were allowed to enlist, but with lower ranks, according to a private who said he was a sergeant in Saddam Hussein's military. Iraqi soldiers can sometimes be more sensitive to local needs than US soldiers, especially on home raid operations, an AFP reporter witnessed.
Unlike Iraqi soldiers, US soldiers "don't know how to behave with the Iraqi girls," said an Iraqi translator working with the US military, who declined to give his name.
Because of their inferior equipment and training Iraqi soldiers are also easier targets than US soldiers - and have paid a high price for their service. For Staff Sergeant Paul Hiestand it's just a lack of training. "The more and more comfortable the Iraqi soldiers feel doing their jobs, the more we can step back," he said. "And it's also important for Iraqi people to see their own people in charge."
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