Thousands of Peshmerga drafted into [Iraq] army

IWPR via Kurdistan Observer ^ | 2005 Jun 23 | Talar Nadir

[Wiz]

Iraqi Kurdistan is to bolster Iraqi army and interior ministry units by providing the beleaguered security forces 32,000 of its peshmerga fighters - a little more than half the elite militia, according to Kurd officials.

The remaining thirty thousand Kurdish troops will come under the control of a planned peshmerga ministry in the regional government of Iraqi Kurdistan, said Mustafa Sayyed Qadir, deputy chief of units belonging to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, PUK.

The move comes as the rival Kurdish administrations in Sulaimaniyah and Erbil prepare to unify. The election of Massoud Barzani, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, KDP, as president of Iraqi Kurdistan on June 12 paved the way for the two authorities to merge.

Sulaimaniyah and Erbil are the capitals of the PUK-controlled eastern side and the KDP-controlled western side of the Kurdish region respectively.

[Wiz]

This should boost the number of Iraq Security Force, and reach the goals of its minimum numbers for the security of Iraq. If this is not part of the 170,000 ISF participants yet, it would add another thirty-thousand up to 200,000. It is recommended to have around 270,000 so the objectives may be reached in a year. However, training is a different story, which may add another few months.

[Wiz]

ping

[Dog]

Uh Oh......a can of whoopa$$ is about to be opened.

[goldstategop]

The Kurds are tough fighters and should boost the capability of the Iraqi security forces to deal with the terrorist onslaught. However, their pershmerga will not be disbanded and will still answer only to Kurdistan's government.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Dog]

They are about to unleash the Peshmerga on the jihadists.....get the popcorn.

[Dutch Boy]

This is going to make Ted Kennedy very upset. You can't have a quagmire with all this progress going on......

[eureka!]

"They are about to unleash the Peshmerga on the jihadists.....get the popcorn."

Yep. They're not real big Baathist fans, as I recall. And they're tough. No Gitmo Lemon Seasoned Fish for their captives...

[datura]

Take that, Turkey!! Now if Turkey comes into Iraq after the Kurds, they've gone after the Iraqi Army. Now who is going to step up to the plate to defend the Iraqis? hehehehe

Don't bring an M60 to an Abrams fight.

[DHerion]

Put them right along the Syrian border.

[Dog]

Yep...

[wingman1]

"Abdul Salman al-Qubeisi, spokesman of the Sunni Association of Muslim Scholars, accused Talabani of trying to prolong the fighting in Iraq and to turn it into a civil war."

This is a good time for the Muslim Scholars who are Sunni to do what is best for the country of Iraq. That is: Talk sense into their brothers.

It has been long past time that the Kurds moved further south.

[jmc1969]

This is the best news from Iraq since the election, the Peshmerga are the best fighters in Iraq next to the US forces, they are going to kick ass. And, this is far better then say having 32,000 European troops come to Iraq as these guys are better fighters and they know who is a foreigner and who isn't.

Most importantly, it speaks to an inclusive army that will keep Iraq together.

[McGavin999]

These are some serious warriors. The only thing they will need training on is following orders.

[Wiz]

[CaptainAwesome2]

Perfect, looks like our work there is done. Time to pack up and leave, preferably with some oil.

[Conservative Firster]

Happy Time!

[Irish Eyes]

Great news.