12.1 |
Security Sector Reform
353.
In summary,
the paper stated that the CPA “still lacks an organisational
mechanism
for
delivering joined‑up policy direction on the security sector”. It
recommended that
detailed
planning was required to transfer security to Iraqi
control.
354.
It is unclear
what became of the paper – there is no mention of it in
contemporary
papers that
the Inquiry has seen.
355.
Towards the
end of 2003, there was awareness in the UK system that
assessments
given by US commanders were “exaggerated” and there were
doubts
356.
By the middle
of December, the FCO assessed that there were around
45,000
operational
police throughout Iraq, all requiring some level of
re‑training.302
The
US
assessment
was that there were 63,000 operational police.
357.
The Annotated
Agenda for the 18 December meeting of the AHMGIR
stated:
“US
military plans for Iraqiisation of security remain highly
ambitious. [General]
Abizaid
foresees Coalition military withdrawal from cities and Iraqi police
able to
combat
terrorists by April 2004. But this handover can only take place if
targets for
expanding
Iraqi units are met.”303
358.
The minutes of
the meeting recorded that Ministers “noted the security
situation
and that
Iraqi security capacity was not being built up at a sufficient rate
and quality
to meet CPA
aspirations” and “agreed that they and officials should lobby their
US
counterparts
to improve training of Iraqi Security Forces, particularly the
police”.304
In January
2004, DFID approved £2m (later increased to £2.2m) for the
International
Legal
Assistance Consortium (ILAC) justice support
programme,305
to provide
training in
international
human rights law to Iraqi judges, lawyers and
prosecutors.306
The
programme
was
expected to cover a two-year period.307
By February
2005, DFID’s justice support programme had trained 218 Iraqi
judges,
lawyers and
prosecutors in human rights, international humanitarian law
and
independence
of the judiciary.308
301
Minute Dodd
to Sheinwald, 10 December 2003, ‘Iraq: Strategy
Group’.
302
Letter Owen
to Rycroft, 18 December 2003, ‘UK Contribution to Iraqi Police
Training’; Annotated
Agenda, 18
December 2003, Ad Hoc Group on Iraq Rehabilitation
meeting.
303 Annotated
Agenda, 18 December 2003, Ad Hoc Group on Iraq Rehabilitation
meeting.
304
Minutes, 18
December 2003, Ad Hoc Group on Iraq Rehabilitation
meeting.
305
The
“justice support programme” was sometimes referred to as the
“justice sector programme”.
306
Report
DFID, 30 June 2006, ‘Iraq International Legal Consortium Justice
Sector’.
307
Paper ILAC,
1 December 2003, ‘ILAC Iraq Programme – Submission to
DFID’.
308
Letter Benn
to Hoon, 23 February 2005.
135