PRESS CONFERENCE: Iraqi Security Forces: Brig. Gen. Salazar, Lt. Gen. Hussain; Oct. 13, 2008
Multi-National Force-Iraq
PRESS CONFERENCE:
Brigadier General Steven L. Salazar, Deputy Commanding General, Coalition Army Advisory Training Team, Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq
Lieutenant General Hussain Jassem[ph], Deputy Chief of Staff for Training, Iraqi Army
DATE: October 13, 2008
PARTICIPANTS:
Brigadier General Steve Salazar
Lieutenant General Hussain Jassem[ph]
REPORTERS 1-16
*REP1 = REPORTER 1
*INT = INTERPRETER
BG SALAZAR: Good afternoon. Thank you for joining us. I’m Brigadier General Steve Salazar, the Deputy Commanding General of the Coalition Army Advisory Training Team of the Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq. I’m pleased to be joined today by Staff Lieutenant General Hussain, Deputy Chief of Staff for Training. And following some opening comments from myself, I’ll turn it over to General Hussain, and then we will take your questions.
We partner with Staff Lieutenant General Hussain and his team, including the Tactical Training Directorate and the Center for Military Principles, Values, and Leadership to train and professionalize the Iraqi Army. The program includes basic combat training, military occupational specialty training, and NCO training. Special training includes the Iraqi Army Service Support Institute where higher level technical skills in the areas of maintenance, supply, and administration are trained.
We’ve made considerable financial investment to provide training facilities for the Iraqi Army. In addition to the six regional training centers, we have built division training centers for each Iraqi Army division. These facilities include weapon ranges, shoot houses for urban operations, combat assault courses, and outdoor training facilities.
To take advantage of these resources, units have instituted a war-fighter training program. It takes a unit from its operations out in the field to conduct a three-week training program from the individual skills through squad, platoon, company, and ultimately battalion collective training. This is an important milestone. It indicates that the improving...situation is improving and allows greater focus on training as well as demonstrating the increasing capacity and capability of the Iraqi Army as well as its eagerness to continue its professional development. The training includes counter-IED, staff training, and an ethics training program. Staff Lieutenant General Hussain and his team are committed to training and professionalizing the Iraqi Army to succeed in the counterinsurgency fight while preparing an army for future independent operations in accordance with the Minister of Defense’s 20-20 vision. Thank you.
LG HUSSAIN:
[Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: I’m Lieutenant General Hussain Jassem[ph], deputy chief of staff for training. I’m pleased to be here with you to give pictures to our activities regarding Iraqi Army training. It made it through many centers...training center for Iraqi Army. We focused on the training of fighting terrorists, special combat, and providing surface. We intend through plan is to improve combat capabilities for the Iraqi Army and military principles, spare the professionals among officials in Iraqi Army, and we have specialized centers named Military Principles and Values Center. Also academy and cultural made through the National Defense University. And we got four college: National Defense College and Center of Defense and Strategic Studies. We’ll...soon we’ll have college of four to prepare official...Iraqi official to occupy the leadership positions. We also got Field Enduring supervised by Military Engineering Directorate. We got two schools, one for the military engineering and the other dealing with preparing officer and soldiers to improve their capabilities.
Of course by planning and development training, by focusing the NO...NCO capabilities to help in leading soldiers and training them and give them confidence and important rules to be a good help in oper-...combat operations. And we have budget to establish NCO seniors’ school. Also secure material bases to support the training. Simulators also to improve Iraqi Army capability. Teaching language through Institute of Defense; we focusing on English language in addition to other language. [Unintelligible] relations also in the Military Training Directorate, our aim to doctors and engineers working in the other specialized in Iraqi Army. And we have a plan to improving officers’ capabilities inside Iraq. Also, minister also is the training institutes to training Iraqi defense personnel and improve their capability. And that is assistance to the...there is a plan to train and employ those personnel in the Ministry of Defense. We also have got a focus on the artillery, infantry, and armor specialize in addition to advanced specialize in administrations.
In the end, I would like to thank MNF–I for their support in the training mission in Iraq. And they’ve financed many infrastructure projects concerning training centers which help...which made a notable role in improving the capabilities of our army. Now we take your questions.
REP1: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT:
Major General, can you give us the role of U.S. or Multi-National Forces in training Iraqi Army? Is it possible in the near futures that Iraqi Army can work independently without the help of U.S. support?
LG HUSSAIN:
[Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: Iraqi Army is 80 years old. We have advanced and specialized in training. Multi-National Forces help since the beginning to improve and enhance the training mission. We got advice in all sectors in the Army. And we are...we want to gain a new modern...a new method of training. It is the same basic training, but now Iraqi Army want to get the modern method of training. And that’s what we are going to do right now by working together with Multi-National Forces to improve Iraqi Army capability.
REP2: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: As you said, Iraqi Army, it’s 80 years old, maybe more than that. For a long time, the Iraqi Army depend on Eastern way of weapons and training. Are the way of training, the way of combat, and military ideology will transferred from Eastern school to the Western training in every army follow the ideology of the specific army?
LG HUSSAIN:
[Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: There is no Eastern...absolute Eastern ideology. Iraqi Army are...work in a way that...to improve the capabilities. Now or in the future, we want to take benefit of all the experience from everywhere in the world and to put, no matter if we take it from Western or Eastern ideology, from U.S.A. in specific. We take what its play a good role in improving Iraqi Army. It’s also depending the arming of the Army, we take our training in a certain army does not mean we must develop our ideology in a way that serve Iraqi Army.
REP3: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: Can you give us the numbers of fund spent or fund allocated for the training section? I hope you give us a detailed number equipment used in the training.
LG HUSSAIN:
[Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: Since the beginning, the infrastructure and the basic training was funded by Multi-National Forces, also by Ministry of Defense allocated a large amount of money, too. I have no specific numbers. But we have allocated a great amount of fund to improving the training of the Iraqi Army. So there is not any contract for weapon, small or medium weapon or tank, aircraft. A part of what’s spent will be allocated for the training purpose.
BG SALAZAR: If I could add in regards to some of the financial investment that I mentioned earlier, the division training centers that I referred to, again, one for each one of the Iraqi Army divisions. Right now there are 12 of them that have been built. And that’s been at a cost to the coalition forces of about $70 to $75 million. There’s also been investments in order to modernize the training as well as the training equipment. As you know, the Government of Iraq has made a decision to field its soldiers with M16s and M4 rifles. We’ve provided some assistance in training on those new weapons systems, specifically training noncommissioned officers in the Iraqi Army to be able to train soldiers to have a self-generating capability at each of the regional training centers.
REP4: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: Questions to lieutenant general about the ability to improving Iraqi Air Force...improving Iraqi Army especially in the Air Force.
LG HUSSAIN:
[Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: There’s support for the Air Force in the Iraqi Army. We have, in the Ministry of Defense, a plan...a long-term plan to improve arming the Iraqi Army starting from 2008 until 2020. This plan, every leadership in the Army, every directorate determined from 2008, 2011 from 2011 until 2015, 2015 until 2020. This plan, for each stage, the task that would be made. Iraqi Air Force also made a plan to improving arming civilian airplane multifunctions and helicopters. And we have many contract will be done to arming the Iraqi Air Forces. We have made 17 Huey civilian plane are conducting combat operations.
Iraqi forces is in condition...is in good conditions and is on the right direction. These forces need more fund and we have a [unintelligible]. The plan including Air Force, we made a plan.
The training of...for the pilot for this airplane, we have Iraqi [unintelligible] training outside Iraq in addition to a training course inside Iraq to improve the capability of those pilots to deal with the new weapons and plane.
REP5: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: My question is the operations near Iraqi and Iran and Turkish border. What the stand of Multi-National Forces and Iraqi Army?
LG HUSSAIN:
[Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: Iraqi Army Forces have a main mission; it’s to fight the terrorists. And my information focuses on training mission, but I would like to assure you that the Iraqi Army training and arming in order to succeed in the battle with terrorists and can perform any kind of operations, also near Iraqi borders, their violations. Of course we have coordination between Multi-National Forces and Iraqi Army forces to avoid such violations near the border.
REP6: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: I would like to know, you’re helping Iraqi Army, not for short term but to build Iraqi Army to bui-...to protect our countries for a long term. Did you present lesson and training to a combat[?], not to the traditional operations...lessons for traditional operations? Did the Iraqi side ask you to do that? Are you intend to give such lesson concerning the traditional operation?
BG SALAZAR:
We’ve had a very close partnership in our training efforts together to meet the requirements of the Iraqi Army to face the counterinsurgency fight that it’s in today. We have training teams at each one of General Hussain’s training locations. It’s a very small team of advisors that works closely with the Iraqi Army cadre to ensure that we’re using the latest techniques; techniques that have been found to be effective in operations. That’s in basic training, military occupational skills training, as well as the NCO training.
We recognize as we move forward that we’ll transform from what is currently the counterinsurgency fight to, someday in the future, defending all of Iraq. As you know, there have been important decisions in regards to developing the Iraqi Army in the future with Stage 1 from 2009 to 2011 and beyond that will include modern organizations that require very special training requirements. General Hussain and our teams are working together to develop a plan for how we address those training requirements in 2009.
In the meantime, we work very closely to assess training. One of the models of effective militaries is the after-action review. And throughout the Iraqi Army’s training program today, they are professionalizing by reviewing their training and their capabilities, assessing themselves, providing that feedback, and then making adjustments as we go which has been a very, very important milestone and effort that we make together.
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: I would like to add something. Ground forces command have a plan...detailed plan of arming Iraqi Army for the next stage including aiding infantry division. We have nine infantry division and we have a contract to purchase tanks. Gradually all this process will took their role in increasing Iraqi Army combat capabilities.
REP7: [Asks question in Arabic without translation.]
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: The Iraqi duty...the main duty of Iraqi Army is to develop Iraqi Army and training and all its capability to be ready to defend our country. This is our main duty. We sacrifice ourself...we sacrifice Iraq with ourself. But there is a priority. The priority now is to fight the terrorists and, of course, the concluding of our Iraqi Army arming process. And that will make the Iraqi Army ready to defend the country.
REP8: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: There’s a plan that may have hurt Iraqi neighboring country in this plan. There is any kind of reservation from the Multi-National Forces?
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: Iraqi Army training and arming is to defend Iraq. Iraqi national strategic is to defend our country. We are not intend to threat anyone. We want a safe, security place where their people live in peacefully and enjoy it for its resource. We have no aggressions intentions against any Iraqi neighboring country. We are ready to defend our country under any circumstances. Thank you.
BG SALAZAR: If I could add, you know, the capacity of the Iraqi Army has grown considerably over the last year, but it’s also growing in capability. Specific capabilities including the counter-IED effort, bomb disposal companies and engineer companies have been fielded. At Besmaya they conduct technical training to be able to defeat the IED. In the future you’ll see expanded mortar training that will take place in 2009 to address the units that the Iraqi Army has selected for Stage 1 of its future plan. In addition, as was mentioned earlier, there’s been a decision to purchase M1 tanks. And so we will be working with General Hussain’s team and the Iraqi Army to train soldiers to be able to outfit M1 tank battalions in the future.
REP9: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: To General Hussain. You said earlier we get the details about training all Iraqi Army sectors. But some of the sectors in the Iraqi Army like artillery, some armed regiments, this training will be inside Iraqi Army or inside Iraq or other friendly country will support in this process? A question for General Salazar. Is there...there is continuing work between MNF-I and Iraqi Army to work against terrorists?
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: Regarding the first question, I said earlier, we focusing on combat. We’re talking about artilleries and armor. We will establish the school of artilleries and the school of armor and infantry school will go to train on mortars, 81 millimeters, with the coordinations of all Iraqi Army divisions to opening these training courses. Now we...we’re going to distribute those weapons to the military unit and we will start training on this weapon.
About 40 millimeter mortar, we also have artillery school and we have a shooting range...large shooting range which we can conduct in such training here and anywhere in Iraq. We can use it inside Iraq. The training for artilleries, for mortars inside Iraq and not anywhere else. Iraqi Army can conduct any training mission in everywhere in Iraq regarding Army, pulling up armor will move to Besmaya and we have a facility there and it will be ready to training the staff of tanks, M-1 and another kind of tanks. We are talking about continuous training course and plan.
Iraqi capabilities is different from the year 2004 and 2005 and you can see that for yourself.
BG SALAZAR: Yeah. As General Hussain clearly pointed out, our number one priority is defeating the insurgency and that’s what the Iraqi Army has been focused on, but clearly is moving towards a professionalized force. And just with any other professional army, not only does it have increased capabilities here, but also is taking advantage of technical capabilities and professional opportunities with supporting nations, primarily coalition nations to include the United States, where you have Iraqi officers who are attending the United States Military Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, and a number of technical institutions and tactical institutions throughout the United States military as well as many other countries. So you see a continuous effort to professionalize in this army.
REP 10: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: Can you tell us what’s your opinion about the qualities and efficiency of Iraqi Army?
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: The Iraqi Army is depend on the kind of missions of the Army. The Iraqi Army missions was, in 2004, was fighting terrorists and special combat operations. This mission need a special kind of arming. The arming was enough to fulfill the mission. Now we are starting to develop the Army in the light of the upcoming operations [unintelligible] started to protect Iraqi borders and the ability to defend itself and assault capabilities. We have such a plan with the Multi-National Forces to improve the arming of the Army. But nowadays, Iraqi Army, their performance in the field is good. The result is good. And the improving Iraqi capability through the conduct...contact that we made and we are going to make.
RE10: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: I ask about the kind of weapons. Is it some kind of...?
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: Any kind of weapon that serve the country, we can use it.
REP10: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: And we have not any restrictions in using any kind of weapon – Western weapon, European weapon from different country in European Union?
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: Any kind of weapon that ensures the success of the Iraqi Army mission, we will use it. But I said Iraqi Army want to get high technical compact weapon, an advanced weapon with all advanced technology to be equal with any other Army in the world. We are not going to bid only for an old weapon. Sometimes you have to use a certain kind of weapon. But for the long term and in the Iraqi Army is to get the modern weapon and we have the...enough resource to secure such weapon.
BG SALAZAR: Just one component of that, I mentioned earlier there’s been a war-fighter training program. Really a very important milestone, again indicating the improved security situation and the eagerness of the Iraqi Army to professionalize itself. A great eagerness to go and train units beyond what was originally at the platoon and company level up to this point in time.
And so as mentioned, a program that takes a battalion out of the field, out of its current operations, brings them to a training center and ties in the weapons modernization program so they’re fielded with humvees, up-armored weapon vehicles, fielded with M16s, fielded with SINCGARS radios which are a highly technical, sophisticated, secure communications system as well as mortar systems. And they bring all of those things together, tie in staff training, tie in counter-IED or IED defeat training, tie in ethics training which is a very important component of professionalizing this army, and run them from individual through squad, platoon and up to battalion-collective training. And at every step of the way, including the after-action review process which we know is integral and essential to improving the performance of any organization and professionalizing army.
So it’s a very important program. There are two battalions that have gone through the program. Another one getting ready to begin. This week the 2nd Battalion of the 15th Brigade will take place up in Kirkuk. And starting at the end of the month, another battalion out of the 8th Division, the 2nd Battalion, on the 30th, down in Numaniyah.
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: I just want to comment on the Salazar remarks regarding ethics training programs. We all know what is the ethic and military principles and the relations between the officers and the soldiers. Now focus on the...to improve the professionalism in the Iraqi Army through...during their province[?], Iraqi Army province[?] in the last period of time, maybe we see some violations. But now the training on the division level, strict on ethnic...ethic and ethic training programs to make this army professional to support Iraqi government, support.and.defend the country. This is the new role for the Iraqi Army focusing...we are now focusing on the improving ethics for Iraqi Army, not only about arming and weapons of Iraqi Army, but to improve the military principle. We all care about the quality of people, not only the number of the people.
BG SALAZAR: Yeah. You know the other area that this training has been integrated is in what we call “Unit Set Fielding” which is generating Iraqi Army forces. We do, together with our Iraqi Army counterparts, we do assessments of units. We assess them level one through level four. This program brings together new soldiers, equipment, and training at a centralized location, and most often that’s at Besmaya Training Center, to form a unit together, train them, and push them out to be able to conduct operations. And I will tell you it’s a very impressive operation, a very professional operation, and is really proven its worth by turning out units into the field that are entering at a higher level of capability and proficiency than had previously been the case.
REP11: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: Question to General Steve. Do you have any word for Iraqi neighboring country that is working not against Iraqi Army?
BG SALAZAR: Please.
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: We are not politicians to estimate the opinions and the behavior of Iraqi neighboring country. Iraqi Army is a son of Iraq, and a son of Iraq from north to east to south, from east to west. We work to be... Iraqi Army presented the unity of Iraq. Any Iraqis from any sectarian...any religious is allowed to enter and work with Iraqi Army under one condition: to be a professional, disciplined, independent, not under influence of any political parties or factions. Our constitution is clear. The Iraqi Army should be professionals, independent, and secure Iraqi interests.
Let’s say any Iraqi neighboring country, let’s say whatever they want. But our will are strong with the women, children, men. We intend to build Iraqi Army, a strong Iraqi Army, able to protect the country in everywhere in Iraq.
BG SALAZAR: [Unintelligible] al-Qaida and the special groups continue to be a threat against the sovereign people of Iraq which is the reason we continue to work to develop the capacity, the capability, and the professionalism of the Iraqi Army. You’ll see increased capabilities in the Iraqi Army. I mentioned the counter-IED capabilities that we’re working on together now. In the future you’ll see increased capabilities in the areas of communications, command and control, intel, surveillance, and reconnaissance, engineering, as well as combat capabilities. And so this is continuing to grow. We continue to grow and professionalize in the future.
REP12: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: Question to General Salazar. The training...large-scale training for the armies. Also Iraq...U.S. Army always do such kind of maneuvers everywhere in the world. Is it possible in the future that...to put Iraqi military unit in such kind of maneuvers in the future?
BG SALAZAR: Yeah. The Iraqi Army and coalition forces work very closely together every single day. Right this minute, I assure you, there are patrols operating, coalition forces and Iraqi Security Forces, working together throughout the country and that’s how we’ve gotten to the current security situation that we are in today and we’ll continue to develop in the future.
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: Regarding training Iraqi Army and put Iraqi Army with other. We have so many Iraqi officers went to Arab League and we have so many organizations from abroad for Iraqi officers to participating in so many meeting. And we have a training conducted outside Iraq in Qatar. We have...we made a trade and we have made a training. Me, personally, with the chief of staff, we participating in the congress last year. And we have upcoming congress for our officers currently and we have a joint military training with others’ army. We want to participating and have common cooperation with other countries like Germany, Turkey through NATO. Also with Italy. As I said earlier, we want to get all the modern technical...all training technique, modern technique. We are...with no exceptions and we are working to participate with any other army from any country.
REP13: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: Questions to Lieutenant General. About complementary military service. What about it?
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: I specialize in the training. Administration Directorate should answer this. But complementary training surface is a negotiable issue. I have no details regarding this issue. But, sure, people...specialists will specialize in this matter, will discuss these issues and a decision will be taken regarding these issues.
REP14: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: Are there any suggestion or study by Ministry of Defense as to protecting Iraqi border? If there’s a plan to restore the Iraqi Army Physical Training Directorate? Another question. Some of the former Iraqi officer are training in some area in the north and they join Kurdish Forces’ Peshmerga. Is that...is this report true or not?
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: Regarding the Physical Training Directorate, we have training...Physical Training Department. It’s related to Training Directorate. This is the first type. And we have Army Club, sports club, and Air Force Club and also Naval Club. Our effort [unintelligible] the sport activity is the Army Club. So many sport teams are joining the club. Training...Physical Training Department are doing this job. And there is a study to become directorate instead of department. But the present of Iraqi Army Club and to develop the club will restore its position. And we have also members working. Head of the club is Brigadier Sam[ph] Sheikhly[ph]. And we try to develop the work of the club and the sport in the Army to improve the role of the Army. About the next issues, I have no information.
You can ask me about anyone who belong to the Iraqi Army – former Iraqi Army have so many officers. The Iraqi Army is open to anyone who want to join the Army, anyone welcome to join the Army after he meet certain requirement. I have no information about any other officer training in anywhere in Iraq.
We are...know what our training institution. And we have a military...a third military college in Sulaymaniyah. It was supervised by Kurdish Regional Government. Now Ministry of Defense is supervising the military. We have three military at Rustamiyah, Jaran, and also in Nasiriyah. We got...in fact, we’ve got four military college. In the future, we want only one military college. It’s an order from the minister is to improve this college capabilities and coordinate it with other college. We have so many plans, but I don’t have time to talk about it all. It is two military institutions in the north of Iraq. Yet it is an Iraqi Army institution. I have no information of any other people training in anywhere in Iraq. We still Iraqi Army. Iraqi Army is the independent[?] professionals doing their job all over the country, everywhere to defend Iraq. This is a professional Iraqi Army.
BG SALAZAR: I believe this year there have been nearly 8,000 former, noncommissioned officers that have been brought into the Army. They go through a short period of training, at least three to five weeks. And they’ve proven themselves to be very valuable. Many of them come with experience in maintenance, supply, administration. It is very important in professionalizing the Iraqi Army at the stage that it’s at right now.
The other place where we do that is at the Iraqi Army Service Support Institute. You know the Iraqi Army now has over 4,000 humvees. So at the IASSI school, the Iraqi Army Service Support Institute, they train mechanics up to level three. They can take a humvee completely apart and put it back together again. They train supply officers, administrative officers, cooks and dining facility managers. It’s a very important program that’s moving forward towards professionalizing the Army.
REP15: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: What happened of the restoring former Iraqi Army?
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: Question is administration one but I can answer to this one. There was announcement weeks ago that asked all former Iraqi Army members to go to a certain Iraqi division. And according to a database in the Iraq...in the Ministry of Defense, there are so many committees, studies. The process of dealing with those former officers and member of former Iraqi Army and there is a plan to redistribute them and use...and take advantage of their experience. I have this kind of information and I present my need for those. Regarding officers and noncommissioned officers, we...sometimes we deploy some officer from one unit to another. They’re all welcomed, but there is requirement and regulations to restore them in the Iraqi Army.
REP15: [Asks question in Arabic.]
INT: Not all the sectors will go to service?
LG HUSSAIN: [Speaks in Arabic.]
INT: No, it’s depend on the need of the Army. Let’s say if it’s not necessary to return in the same specialize. But we have a plan in the future. Every individual who have the ability to work can...is welcome to return to the Army. We have many pilot working on the training center. Some of the pilot now are working on the infantry division, but then we will use them in our future plan. The order of the prime minister is so clear. They all welcome to rejoin the Iraqi Army again.
Thank you for you being here. We are pleased to be here. We wish the Iraqi Army to be close to the Iraqi media and speak in open heart and frankly because it’s the army of all people, of all Iraqi people. It’s...Iraqi Army serve Iraqi people and will...Iraqi Army will do all the effort to restore security and stability in the country. Thank you very much.
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