Friday, March 16, 2007

Disbanding Iraqi Army Was Big Mistake

By Anna Mulrine
Thu Mar 15, 2007
5:58 PM ET
News.Yahoo.Com

The Marine Corps commandant, Gen. James T. Conway, told reporters this morning the biggest mistake made in Iraq remains the disbanding of the Iraqi Army-and that the effect of the decision still resonates today.

"The Iraqi Army was the most respected institution in the country," Conway said, adding that its anticipated help was "central" to American prewar planning for rebuilding efforts in Iraq.

Instead, Conway said, following the dissolution of the Iraqi military, former Iraqi Army members turned against U.S. forces in places like Anbar province, a volatile, Sunni-dominated area currently under the control of U.S. marines.

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