Standing Up

One of the big goals that Bush has been pushing, for years, is the training of Iraqi troops. Well, he's in for some bad news:

Reuters:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Iraqi army battalions that operate independently, with no assistance from U.S. forces, has dropped from 10 to six over the last two months, the top U.S. general said on Friday.

But Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, downplayed the figure's importance, saying the decline was driven by casualties, worn-out equipment and the need to pull units from battle so they can be resupplied.

"The fact that a number may be changing in a very narrow band shouldn't be overly a concern," Pace told reporters.

What's astounding is the numbers. A battlion is like around 500 soldiers. Not only are they losing ground (despite Pace's spin), but the overall numbers are miniscule. After years of building the army. Years. And even among those that do operate independently, who knows how many are loyal and just how much infiltration has occurred by various factions.