Iraq forces stronger, but not standing alone yet

By Missy Ryan and Tim Cocks

KUT, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq faces a major test next year when its unseasoned forces cast off U.S. military primacy to defend a fragile peace in a country that only recently stood at the brink of sectarian civil war.

Iraqi forces, which have grown seven-fold since 2003, are seen as far more professional and prepared than they once were.

"We're now ready to take over everything, in terms of security," said Hussein Azab, an Iraqi Army major who oversees the Al Hurriya district of Baghdad. "I can't see any reason why we can't patrol the streets by ourselves now."

But many Iraqi officials acknowledge that inadequate equipment, incomplete training and a host of other problems mean they are not yet ready to ensure Iraq does not slide back into the horrific violence that followed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

The test for Iraqi forces, who now number around 610,000, occurs as U.S. troops curtail their combat activities under a bilateral security pact that takes effect on January 1, 2009.

U.S. raids and other operations will require Iraqi permission, and U.S. soldiers will need arrest warrants for searches and detentions. U.S. troops are supposed to be confined to training and support roles in Iraqi cities by the middle of next year, and all must be out of the country by end-2011.

Officials from the United States, which has spent some $20 billion on Iraq's security forces and justice system since it ousted Saddam Hussein in 2003, describe Iraqi forces in terms that parents reserve for less-than-exceptional children.

"Much better, but not there yet," or "making headway," are common refrains. In some areas, the best U.S. officials hope for in the short run is what they call "Iraqi good enough."