The plan, as you probably know, calls for setting up a combined Iraqi army and Iraqi police command structure under a single commander. Today Lieutenant General Abboud is that single commander. He’s in command of what they call the Baghdad Command. And he has two division commanders subordinate to him, one — (to staff) — if we can have the Baghdad map, please — one in command of brigades east of the Tigris and the other in command of Iraqi brigades west of the Tigris.
There are seven Baghdad districts shown up here on the map, and there are now Iraqi brigades assigned to seven of those nine. Eventually all nine will be covered by Iraqi brigades. And in those seven districts that have Iraqi brigades, there are seven U.S. battalions currently partnered with those Iraqi brigades.
Within these districts, we’re beginning to see another indicator of progress with the security plan, and that is the opening of the first JSS. Those are joint security stations. These are relatively small 24/7 operations centers which will be jointly manned by Iraqi army, Iraqi national police — sort of the paramilitary organizations — Iraqi local police and their U.S. support chain.
Ten of these stations are now open today, and eventually there will be about three times that number. And these will be the centerpieces of 24/7 presence in the districts.
We’re also beginning to see the stand-up and rehearsals of Iraqi and U.S. reserve units at multiple levels of command — so at the battalion and brigade level. This, of course, is very important, that we have reserve set before we enter into full-fledged clearing operations.
Now, I guess probably the best summary, in short, is to say that early progress has been made. We’re beginning to see good, solid evidence across all the lines of commitment made by the Iraqi government, but it’s very soon in the — it’s very early in the operation. We’re just in the opening days.
By way of incoming or inbound troop reinforcements, I can report that the first of three Iraqi brigades due to join their brothers in Baghdad is now operating in the city. The second Iraqi brigade is enroute, and the third is programmed to deploy later this month.
On the U.S. side, of course we have five brigades headed that way. The first, the 2nd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne, is operating in Baghdad today, and the second of the five brigades is enroute to Kuwait and then later to Baghdad. Brigades, as we say, numbers 18, 19 and 20, if you follow the math, are all still here in the states doing preparatory training.
So in summary, so far so good. But we’re in the very early days of what will be a very deliberate campaign that will unfold only over several months, and we should not expect quick, easy or dramatic results.
