By Emelie Rutherford
The Pentagon has opted against transferring non-excess National Guard and reserve equipment to Iraqi forces, appeasing lawmakers concerned about U.S. military response to domestic emergencies.
“I am pleased to report that we were able to arrive at a previously stated recommendation, and that (is) for sourcing Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) without having to expend National Guard reserve component equipment,” Lt. Gen. Kathleen Gainey, director for logistics on the Joint Staff, told the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) yesterday.
“Additionally, National Guard reserve component units currently serving in Iraq have the opportunity to take theater-provided equipment back to their home station to fill any authorized shortages,” she said.
At the outset of the hearing on the Pentagon’s newly-defined plans for equipping the Iraqi forces as U.S. forces leave the war-torn nation, HASC Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) said he wanted to hear from the panel of Department of Defense (DoD) officials “how we will ensure that this process will not hurt the National Guard’s capability to respond to disasters and other emergencies here in the United States.”
Vice Adm. James Winnefeld, director for strategic plans and policy at the Joint Staff, told the panel that after testifying before it in July, “we heard your message loud and clear…that you were very interested in the National Guard and also the civilian capacity piece…and we’re determined to take your concerns into account.”
The Pentagon is moving forward with plans to equip Iraqi Security Forces, said Michele Flournoy, under secretary of defense for policy.
Multi-National Forces-Iraq (MNF-I) has crafted an requirements list that identifies Iraqi equipment shortfalls hampering its ability to “secure its population, conduct internal defense, and conduct basic external defense,” she said. The Joint Staff has revalidated the list.
Gainey, who is overseeing the equipping of the Iraqi forces, described a “calculated process” that was just briefed to the Joint Chiefs of Staff three days ago. This process addresses “adjudicating risk” to the U.S. military services, she noted.
As plans for transferring non-excess equipment to Iraqi and Afghani forces are “refined,” Flournoy added, the Pentagon will work with the U.S. services to manage the cost associated with replacing the lost equipment.
“The financial requirements associated with the replacement of transferred equipment will be part of the (Defense) Department’s normal budget development process,” she said. “In that process, we’ll be taking into consideration the timing of the transfer of equipment and the urgency expressed by DoD components for reimbursement or replacement.”
Equipment will only be transferred to Iraqi forces if it is not needed by U.S. personnel in Iraq or Afghanistan, Flournoy said.
“We believe that increasing ISF capabilities is the best way to ensure that our hard-fought security gains in Iraq will not be lost as we draw down,” she added.
The Obama administration has requested the authority to provide the Iraqi government “with unlimited excess materiel,” Flournoy said. Excess equipment ranges from body armor to commercial trucks.
The Pentagon also wants to transfer non-excess equipment, including up-armored Humvees and cargo trucks.
For the non-excess equipment that has been identified, Gainey said, “the services feel that they can assume risk…to their readiness” by losing it.
Most equipment in Iraq that will not be transferred to Iraqi forces will remain with U.S. forces, Flournoy said. Roughly 3.3 million pieces of equipment currently are in Iraq, according to the Pentagon.
Flournoy cautioned the HASC that “the Iraqi government may ultimately require additional assistance beyond the (planned) transfer of excess and non-excess equipment,” because of Iraqi government budget shortfalls and ISF requirements.
“We are still evaluating how much and what type of additional assistance may be needed,” she said.
President Obama announced in February plans for U.S. forces in Iraq to transition from combat and counterinsurgency activities to a more limited mission set with no more than 50,000 personnel by Aug. 31, 2010. The already-started drawdown of U.S. forces is set to be complete by Dec. 31, 2011.