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A Daily Chronicle of Bush Administration Distortion September 20, 2004

     

Rumsfeld Misleads on Iraqi Security Forces



The ability of U.S. forces to exit Iraq is contingent on the training of Iraqi forces that can provide for their own security. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has seriously misled the American people about the number of Iraqis that have been trained.

In February, Rumsfeld touted the large number of Iraqis serving in security forces that had completed training. Rumsfeld said, "there are over 210,000 Iraqis serving in the security forces. That is an amazing accomplishment. There are a number of thousands more that are currently in training."1 Rumsfeld's statement was grossly inaccurate. On Tuesday, Rumsfeld admitted, "we're training up their security forces now…about 105,000 are now properly trained and equipped."2

But never fear. Rumsfeld now promises that "between now and the end of the year into mid-'05…that number then will go up -- back up over 200,000."3

Sources:
  1. "More Cooperation Needed to Secure Iraq Borders, Rumsfeld Says," The Coalition Provisional Authority, 2/23/04.
  2. "Secretary Rumsfeld Media Availability at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.," U.S. Department of Defense, 9/14/04.
  3. "Defense Department Briefing with Secretary Rumsfeld," U.S. Department of Defense, 9/07/04.



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