Checkpoint Army News Today

Retaining mosul, iraqi forces, this validates, arguably, the obama administrations changed strategy to embolden, properly train and equip the iraqi forces to do this themselves. talk to me about the u.s. presence involved in this. >> yes, there has certainly been a change and, yes, there are not as many u.s. forces on the ground. in my view, having spent over three years of my life in the country, that is a very good thing. they have to want this more than the united states does. in fact, thats ...

Of the past, when they were trying to train the iraqi security force in the past? yes. the criticism back then was that the americans basically trained a checkpoint army and then left the country. one of the concerns right now is perhaps maybe the americans are training an air strike army. at the end of the day, that is perhaps what is needed at this stage. but it also is important to point out that not only is the p battle very important, but also what comes next. because its not just about def...

We are talking about 2 1/2 months. the real immediate threat is isis fighters digging in and getting stronger and being harder to dislodge as well as the the iraqi army not being ready to take them on. so, the process we are talking about, it is not one that really seems to be designed to actually deal with that real immediate threat that is right now, anderson. >> arwa, in terms of military folks you are talking about, you are on the kurdish side up in the north. how much support is there for t...

About, it is not one that really seems to be designed to actually deal with that real immediate threat that is right now, andersen. >> arwa, in terms of military folks you are talking about, you are on the kurdish side up in the north. how much support is there for the idea of american advisers coming? >> well it really depends on who you are talking to. there is a lot of wariness when it comes to u.s. involvement because of the american time of in iraq. in the word of the governor of the provin...

So, the process we are talking about, it is not one that really seems to be designed to actually deal with that real immediate threat that is right now, andersen. >> arwa, in terms of military folks you are talking about, you are on the kurdish side up in the north. how much support is there for the idea of american advisers coming? >> well it really depends on who you are talking to. there is a lot of wariness when it comes to u.s. involvement because of the american time of in iraq. in the wor...

That key contested position. another 30 days by the constitution to have a government form. were talking about 2 1/2 months. the real immediate threat is i.c.e. fighters digging in and getting stronger and being harder to dislodge as well as the iraqi earp not being ready to take them on. so the process were talking about its not one that really seems to be designed to actually deal with that real immediate threat thats right now, anderson. >> arwa, in terms of military folks that you are talkin...

Even take some of the smaller towns that are continuing to fall. it has been described to me this is now a defensive army. a checkpoint army. an army that can set up checkpoints and maybe patrol the streets of a place like baghdad but not really maneuver effectively. and that is an enormous setback for the entire u.s. mission here. to put this in perspective, and i think its import toont haant some perspective on this. for the last ten years or so, this has been a u.s. and iranian project. the t...

Certain degree. its quite interesting when it comes to the capabilities of the iraqi security forces themselves. we were speaking with the governor of kirkuk, and he was saying look, the problem is that the americans basically trained what he was describing as a checkpoint army. the iraqi security forces are great at setting up checkpoints. you would have gone through this on numerous occasions in baghdad where there is all sorts of traffic jams that are created by this. but barring that, barrin...