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U.S. tries tough love before Iraq handover

RAMADI, Iraq — In the past, when Iraqi police here ran out of gas, they often turned to the Marines, who generally obliged by filling the trucks and generators — courtesy of the U.S. taxpayer.

The Marines have a new answer for the Iraqis: no.

That’s become one of the best ways “to get their attention,” said Marine Maj. Gen. Martin Post, deputy commander of Multi-National Force-West. “Things get real hard and then what happens is they go, ‘OK, we’ve got to fix this ourselves.’”

Now that violence has declined in Anbar province, today’s challenge is reducing Iraqi dependence on American money and assistance so U.S. combat forces can gradually leave, Post and other U.S. officials said.

Despite protests from some Iraqis who say the process could endanger security gains, U.S. commanders are determined.

“Although security is good, we are doing an awful lot behind the scenes with the Iraqi security forces,” said Army Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq. “What we want to do is reduce that dependence.”

There’s no shortage of cash. Iraq’s government expects $63 billion in oil revenues this year. That will allow for an increase in budgeted spending to $72 billion, up from $41.1 billion in 2007.

“We describe it as a tsunami of cash,” said Ged Smith, the Treasury Department attache at the U.S. Embassy.

Iraq’s central government is having difficulty spending the money where it is needed most — in part because circumstances have changed so quickly.

Anbar, a sprawling province the size of North Carolina, used to be one of Iraq’s most deadly regions. Today, it is among the most peaceful. Markets are open and police are actively patrolling the streets in U.S.-issued Ford pickup trucks.

The police are given money from the central government to buy gas from local vendors. They have no storage facilities or distribution system. The size of the force in the province has grown rapidly over recent years, from almost zero to 28,000.

“It’s no surprise they don’t have the tightest procedures for procurement or manpower management,” said Marine Col. Chris Bourne, a police adviser in Ramadi.

As a result, the budget hasn’t kept pace with the growth. “It’s like anything that is centrally managed,” said Marine Col. Art Corbett. “You’ll have trucks but not fuel.”

Iraq’s budgeting system was designed to centralize power and, particularly during U.N.-sponsored sanctions, hoard cash, Smith said.

“They need to get a system in place so the money flows to the ministries, the provinces and the local areas,” said Marc Wall, the top economic coordinator in the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

U.S. advisers are working with ministries to become more efficient.

“We want to continue to build their capacity,” Odierno said.

In the meantime, the shortage is forcing Iraqi police here to come up with their own solutions. Some commanders are buying gas from local vendors with IOUs. Still, Iraqis here say they are not happy with the new tough-love approach. The shortage of gas has forced them to do more foot patrols, said Mohammed Odei, a police district commander in Ramadi.

“I don’t think it’s difficult for the Americans to provide us with fuel,” he said.

Without continued American support, the dramatic security gains of recent years are vulnerable, he said.

“If you have a child with a broken leg, would you just say, ‘You’re on your own,’ or would you help him for a while?” Odei said. “If we are weakened, al-Qaida will return.”

Odei said 22 of the district’s 97 vehicles no longer run. U.S. officials are also worried about the lack of maintenance.

“We’ve given them all these vehicles,” Post said. “Our concern is they’re going to run all these Ford [trucks] into the ground and two years from now, they won’t start.”

Iraqis here also worry that Iraq’s Shiite-dominated government won’t deliver promised goods when the Americans leave.

“Wait until I can stand by myself,” Odei said. “Then you can leave me.”