Records relating to keyword "US"

• Iraq Weekly Status Report
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • US and UK Governments »
  • United States »
  • Executive Branch »
  • Department Of State
  
  Keywords: Reconstruction US Security US Government

  A valuable, if slanted, compilation of quantitative data, produced weekly by the US State Department. Grouped into the categories of security, democratisation, service provision, economy, law, international engagement, and strategic communications.

• Quarterly reports fro the Pentagon on progress in Iraq
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • US and UK Governments »
  • United States »
  • Executive Branch »
  • Department of Defense (Pentagon)
  
  Keywords: US Government US Military

  Reports to Congress are submitted pursuant to the section entitled “Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq” of House Conference Report 109-72 accompanying H.R. 1268, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005, Public Law 109-13

• Mental Health Survey of US soldiers & Marines serving in Iraq (05 May 2007)
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • Opinion Polls in Iraq
  
  Keywords: US Military Mental Health Torture Human rights

  A team of US army mental health specialists surveyed (anonymously) 1320 soldiers and 447 Marines serving in Iraq, and conducted focus groups with US military personnel. The study, completed in November 2006 but released in redacted form in May 2007, found high levels of mental stress and ill-health, and high tolerance of ill-treatment and torture of Iraqis; and also fears about safety risks posed by Rules of Engagement perceived to be restrictive.

  • "Approximately 10% of Soldiers and Marines report mistreating non-combatants (damaged/destroyed Iraqi property when not necessary or hit/kicked a non-combatant when not necessary)

  • "More than one-third of all Soldiers and Marines continue to report being in threatening situations where they were unable to respond due to the Rules of Engagement"

  • "over 650 Soldiers/Marines (over 37% of the sample) described an event which occurred during the current deployment which caused them "intense fear, helplessness or horror"

  • 20% of soldiers and 15% of Marines were diagnosed as suffering from a mental health problem (depression, anxiety, acute stress or other)

  • 39% of Marines and 36% of soldiers believed "Torture should be allowed in order to gather important information about insurgents"

  • 17% of soldiers/Marines believed "All non-combatants should be treated as insurgents"

  • only 38% of Marines and 47% of soldiers believed "All non-combatants should be treated with dignity and respect"

  • "just less than 10% of Soldiers and Marines reported that their unit modifies the ROE [Rules of Engagement] to accomplish their mission"

  • "12% of Soliders and 5% of Marines reported taking medication for a mental health, combat stress or sleep problem during the deployment

• Iraq Study Group report (06 Dec 2006)
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • US and UK Governments »
  • United States »
  • Legislative Branch
  
  Keywords: Security Military US US Government US Mandate

  The report of the commission, chaired by James Baker and Lee Hamilton, established to recommend changes to US policy in Iraq. Among its 79 recommendations were:

  • A "New Diplomatic Offensive", to build support for US policy in Iraq
  • An "International Support Group" involving Syria, Iran and other regional powers in the stabilisation of Iraq.
  • Renewed efforts for an Israeli-Palestinian peace process
  • Future support for the Iraqi government to be dependent on its performance, provinding an incentive for the government to succeed
  • Clarification that the US does not seek permanent bases in Iraq, or control of the country's oil
  • A constitutional review, considering oil-sharing and the federal structure of Iraq
  • More US soldiers attached to the Iraqi military as trainers and advisers
  • Transfer of the national and border police away from the Ministry of the Interior
• Iraq: The War of the Imagination (Dec 2006)
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • Iraqi Politics and Security »
  • Security, insurgency, and military tactics
  
  Keywords: US US Government

  Excellent essay by Mark Danner, framed as a book review, interpreting the failures of US Iraq policy as an outcome of systematic misunderstandings within the American government.

• CSIS Report: "Iraq's Evolving Insurgency and the Risk of Civil War" (26 Apr 2006)
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • Iraqi Politics and Security »
  • Security, insurgency, and military tactics
  
  Keywords: Security Strategy Insurgency US US Government

  An in-depth report from Anthony Cordesman at the CSIS.

  This report provides an overview of both how the Iraqi insurgency has moved towards civil conflict from its inception in the spring of 2003 through the first months of 2006, and of the ways in which insurgent tactics and methods have changed over time. It is divided into five general sections:

  • The first section examines Iraq under the rule of Saddam, the immediate post-war aftermath and the development of a violent insurgency in the spring and summer of 2003. It chronicles the insurgency’s inception and how it has evolved from 2003 until 2006 and examines Coalition operations to counter it.

  • The second evaluates insurgent patterns of attacks, and Coalition and Iraqi casualties. It also examines insurgent tactics, methods of attack, and the political, sychological and informational warfare lessons from 2003-2006.

  • The third section assesses the composition of the nsurgency including Iraqi Sunni Arabs (both “Islamists and “Nationalists”), foreign jihadists, and the uncertain status of the Shi’ites. It also addresses the degree to which these factions cooperate or conflict and the role of Iraqi’s neighbors in the insurgency.

  • The fourth considers Iraqi views of the threat.

  • The fifth and final section offers an assessment of probable outcomes of the conflict and lessons of the war.

• CSIS Report: Iraqi Economic Reconstruction and Development (21 Apr 2006)
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • Economic Development »
  • Reconstruction
  
  Keywords: CPA US US Government Economic development Reconstruction

  A CSIS report by Onur Ozlu puts Iraq's economic reconstruction in broad historical perspective and then provides a sector-by-sector analysis of what is happening in Iraq and the successes and failures of the aid process.

  The US aid effort in Iraq has not accomplished most of its sectoral goals, and more importantly, has not effectively initiated the reconstruction of the country’s economy. After three years of struggle, the expenditure of more than $ 20 billion US aid funds, $ 37 billion Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) - UN accumulated from the oil for food program’s revenues and the seizure of bank accounts- and death of thousands of US and other coalition soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis, Iraq is producing less oil, has less electricity and less water than it did during the Saddam period. After studying the modern Iraqi economic history as a background, this work analyzes why.

  Insurgency has been a major obstacle to an effective econstruction. However, shortcomings of the US aid planning and execution indicate that even if there was not an endemic insurgency in Iraq, the reconstruction would still be ineffective.

• CSIS Report: "American Strategic, Tactical, and Other Mistakes in Iraq: A Litany of Errors" (19 Apr 2006)
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • Iraqi Politics and Security
  
  Keywords: Strategy US Government US

  A short article from Anthony Cordesman, reviewing American errors in Iraq.

  The US cannot go back and change its behavior in Iraq, and in many cases it cannot now compensate for past errors. Its best hope is to pursue the strategy it is already pursuing – in spite of risks that at best offer an even chance of limited success. The US can, however, learn two things from this litany

  The first is that the US cannot hope to succeed by understating problems and risks, and especially cannot succeed without providing the necessary commitment in terms of time and resources. National security challenges cannot be “spun” into victory. They must be honestly addressed, hard decisions must be taken, and the necessary resources must be provided.

  The second is that Iraq has exposed a wide range of faults and shortcomings in the US security apparatus that involve a wide range of departments and both civilians and the US military. If the US is ever to repeat an experience like Iraq, or successfully fight what it now calls the “long war” against terrorism and extremism, it needs ruthless self honesty and objectivity. A list of problems is not a list of solutions, but it is an essential first step in finding them.

• Zogby poll of US troops in Iraq (28 Feb 2006)
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • Opinion Polls in Iraq
  
  Keywords: US Opinion polls

  The poll, conducted by Zogby International in conjunction with Le Moyne College’s Center for Peace and Global Studies interviewed 944 military respondents at several undisclosed locations throughout Iraq.

  • 85% said the U.S. mission is mainly “to retaliate for Saddam’s role in the 9-11 attacks

  • 77% said they also believe the main or a major reason for the war was “to stop Saddam from protecting al Qaeda in Iraq

  • 89% of reserves and 82% of those in the National Guard said the U.S. should leave Iraq within a year, 58% of Marines think so

  • 4 in 5 oppose the use of such internationally banned weapons as napalm and white phosphorous.

• US Plans to Stop Funding Iraq Reconstruction (02 Jan 2006)
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • Economic Development »
  • Reconstruction
  
  Keywords: Reconstruction Economic development US

  Article in the Washington Post detailing reports from government officials saying that the Bush administration does not intend to seek any extra funds from Congress after the $18.4bn already allocated runs out. "The U.S. never intended to completely rebuild Iraq," Brig. Gen. William McCoy, the Army Corps of Engineers commander overseeing the work, told reporters at a recent news conference.

• Taguba report (04 Apr 2004)
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • Human Rights »
  • Prisoner Abuse and Torture »
  • Prisoner abuse and torture in Iraq
  
  Keywords: Human rights Prisons US

  Report of a US army investigation into abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, compiled by Antonio Taguba. Taguba found strong evidence for "sadistic, blatant, and wanton criminal abuses" of inmates. Widely covered by the media, notably by Seymour Hersh in the New Yorker. Also available in pdf format

• Iraq - Country report on human rights practices (25 Feb 2004)
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • Human Rights »
  • General reports on human rights
  
  Keywords: Human rights US

  US government report on the human rights situation in Iraq. Mostly concerned with pre-war human rights abuses

• National Security Council Victory Plan for Iraq
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • US and UK Governments »
  • United States »
  • Executive Branch »
  • Department of Defense (Pentagon)
  
  Keywords: US Government US Military Strategy

• Other releases from DOD- inc. list of contractors, Iraq reports on soldier health etc.
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • US and UK Governments »
  • United States »
  • Executive Branch »
  • Department of Defense (Pentagon)
  
  Keywords: US Government US Military

• State Department Section 2207 Reports
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • US and UK Governments »
  • United States »
  • Executive Branch »
  • Department Of State
  
  Keywords: US Government US

  State Department produced quarterly reports on the use of Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Funds.

• US Central Command Casualty Reports
  
  • Category:
  • Info »
  • US and UK Governments »
  • United States »
  • Executive Branch »
  • Department of Defense (Pentagon) »
  • Central Command (CENTCOM, Doha, Qatar)
  
  Keywords: US Government Military deaths Military US