With pressure to do more of the fighting, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki plans to increase the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) by nearly 20,000, according the U.S. command in Baghdad.
The plan had been for 325,000 army, police and other forces. The army number will be increased by 18,700, the command said, at the expense of the Iraqi government. The Pentagon so far has received $8 billion from Congress to build the ISF.
The increase breaks down to three new divisions, five new brigades and 20 battalions, plus one additional special operations battalion.
That would give Iraq, I believe, 13 army divisions. That might also mean creating a second Corps, as that is more than a bit heavy for one Command. |