Out of Iraq Comes the Good News

A great FReeper, Starbase, has put together some highlights from the Quarterly Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq Report. Good news indeed!

Here's a summary of some information that is in the Department of Defense's May 2006 Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq report, each point is listed along with the page number on which the statistic can be found.

1.) Twelve provinces, containing more than 50% of the population, experienced only 6% of all attacks., pg. 3

2.) That is to say, that half the population never sees violence 94% of the time. Hardly sounds like a descent into chaos, does it?, pg. 3

3.) Far from being a madhouse of fighting, more than 80% of terrorist attacks were concentrated in just 4 of Iraq's 18 provinces., pg. 3

4.) On May 20, 2006 there was a successful Vote of Confidence for the new Prime Minister, his Cabinet, and his Program, pg. 2

5.) This Vote of Confidence was for the government created by the Dec 15, 2005 elections, in which 77% of the people voted., pg. 3

6.) The total number of Iraqi soldiers and police who have completed initial training and equipping is approximately 263,400, an increase of about 36,100 since the last report (Feb 06)., pg. 4

7.) As of May 2006 there were 268 Independent Newspapers and Magazines, 114 Commercial radio stations, and 54 Commercial television stations in Iraq. -graph, pg. 13

8.) There are only 800 qualified, independant judges in Iraq's legal system nationwide, with an estimated need for 1200. However 150 new judges will graduate from a two year training program in 2007, and 150 more judges will then begin the program, working steadily to provide Iraq with the qualified judges a robust legal system needs., pg. 13

9.) Hardly a month goes by without threats or acts of violence targeting judges, however security for judges has been enhanced (housing, security details, etc.) and now attacks on judges are down 47% from May 2005., pg. 14

10.) "The international donor community, apart from U.S. contributions, has pledged $13.5 billion in assistance, much of it in the form of low-interest loans; as of March 2006, more than $3.5 billion had been disbursed."-direct quote, pg. 17

11.) "The Iraqi government continues to make progress in reducing its external debt. Iraq’s high level of Saddam-era debt (approximately $125 billion) precluded it from borrowing abroad and levied an unmanageable burden on its economy. The agreement of Paris Club members (plus Korea) in November 2004 to reduce their claims on Iraq by 80%, combined with similar treatment from non-Paris Club creditors, will help bring Iraq’s debt to sustainable levels. Thus far, Iraq has qualified for a 60% reduction in Paris Club claims and will qualify for an additional 20% reduction after three years of successful performance under the Stand-By Arrangement and successor arrangements. As of May 2006, 17 of the 18 Paris Club creditors had signed such agreements."-direct quote, pg. 19

12.) "There is evidence Iraqi private sector activity continues to expand. U.S. Government agencies attempt to spur private sector activity with microfinance loans, bank lending to small- and medium-sized enterprises, capital market development, business skills development, vocational training, investment promotion, business center support, and creation of economic zones." -direct quote, pg. 22

13.) There were a total of about 34,000 newly registered businesses in Iraq by March 2006, up from a total of about 25,000 in March 2005. -graph, pg. 22

14.) "More than $1 billion in electricity projects have been completed. An additional $1.1 billion worth of projects will increase transmission stability and add 500 MW of generating capacity."- direct quote, pg. 24

15.) "..as of April 28, 2006, there were 6.4 million cellular telephone subscribers and 1.0 million landline connections. This reflects a 30% increase in cellular subscribers since the last report and more than a 200% increase in telephone access since the end of 2004." -direct quote, pg. 26

16.) In March 2006 there were 4578 actionable tips received from the population by Iraqi security forces. That's 10 times more calls that people were willing to make to the government than the same time a year ago (Mar 2005 had only 483 actionable tips) -graph, pg. 45

17.) "Through U.S. Government-funded water projects, large- and small-scale water treatment facilities have been rehabilitated or constructed, expanding access to potable water for an estimated 3 million people at a standard level of service. More projects planned or under way will provide access to clean water to an additional 5.4 million people at a standard level of service and will also improve the water supply for rural residents." -direct quote, pg. 27

18.) "More Iraqis have access to sewage collection and treatment today than in 2003. More than 5.1 million people have access to sewage service." -direct quote, pg. 27

Finally there's this long blurb about what kind of training the new Iraqi soldiers are receiving, it is well balanced and extensive:

19.) "The basic training system, consolidated under the command of the Iraqi Training Brigade, continues to develop, and training has continued apace. All three Iraqi Training Battalions are now formed and fully operational. This has significantly increased the Iraqis’ ability to train capable soldiers in sufficient quantities for force generation and replacement needs. New recruits continue to attend a 5-week program of instruction at the Kirkush Military Training Base and An-Numiniyah. Upon graduation, they receive additional specialty training. Depending on their military occupational skill assignment, the training varies from three to seven weeks. This specialized training develops infantry, armor, administration, communications, transportation, maintenance, and military police skills, among others. Other training initiatives, such as the Military Intelligence School, the Signal School, the Bomb Disposal School, the Combat Arms Branch School, the Engineer School, and the Military Police School, contribute to the professionalization of the Iraqi Army through teaching diverse soldier specialties necessary to conduct and sustain counter-insurgency operations." -direct quote, pg. 54

The second half of the report is all about the military situation in Iraq (pages 46-62). Who the enemy is (rejectionists, former regime loyalists, al qaida), what patterns their attacks have been trending to, and which enemy performs which actions. If you have an interest in a very detailed (and, of course, unclassified) view of the military situation in Iraq, read the second half of the report starting on page 46.

The last three pages address conditions for withdrawal, and basically say those conditions must not be based on any set timetable, but instead be a reaction to realities on the ground, otherwise ultimate success will be compromised.

In summary, the Report on Progress concludes with this lengthy excerpt:

20.) "Arbitrary deadlines or timetables for withdrawal of Coalition forces—divorced from conditions in Iraq and the region—would be a serious strategic error, as they would suggest to the terrorists, Saddamists, and Rejectionists that they can simply wait to win. No war has ever been won on a timetable, and neither will this one. Lack of a timetable, however, does not mean that the Coalition’s posture in Iraq is static. On the contrary, the Coalition continually adjusts its posture and approaches as conditions evolve and Iraqi capabilities grow.

As Iraqis take on more responsibility for security, Coalition forces will increasingly move to supporting roles in many areas.

As security conditions improve and as the Iraqi Security Forces become more capable of securing their own country, Coalition forces will move out of the cities, provide transition teams, reduce the number of bases from which they operate, and conduct fewer visible missions, but remain postured to assist. Although the Coalition military presence may become less visible, it will remain lethal and decisive, able to confront the enemy wherever it may gather and organize...

Coalition troop levels will increase if necessary to defeat the enemy or to provide additional security for key events, like the recent referendum and elections. But the goal, over time, is to reduce Coalition forces as Iraqis continue to take on more of the security and civilian responsibilities themselves. " -direct quote, pgs. 64,65
By starbase