The army has 250,000 troops organized in:
1st Intervention Corps of two motorized infantry, one infantry, and one armored division. One of the motorized divisions is the Reaction Force Division, which is the best of the lot--a new "Republican Guard" force.
Northern Corps of two motorized infantry and one infantry divisions. Two Kurdish divisions currently autonomous are supposed to become part of this corps and designated as mountain divisions.
Central Corps of two Presidential Guard and one Baghdad brigade, and two motorizied infantry, one infantry, and one commando divisions.
Southern Corps of three motorized infantry divisions and an infantry division forming.
There are also four federal police divisions, seven counter-terror commando battalions, border police, and six battalions of emergency police.
The navy is tiny and not yet able to take over coastal or Gulf patrol duties from Coalition naval forces.
The air force has only a 100 transport, helicopters, and recon aircraft. Iraq still relies on American aircraft to defend their air space and provide ground support and other functions.
The Iraqi military is a counter-insurgency force that has built a solid foundation of trained and combat experienced troops that will eventually get better equipment to become capable of taking on conventional foes:
Even the army does not have a lot of heavy weapons. There are only about 300 old T-72 tanks, and lots of newer armored hummers. Thousands of new armored vehicles are on order. Compared to Saddam's force, the NCOs and officers (mostly from the Shia Arab majority), have less time in uniform, but are better trained. The Iraqis have learned a lot about fighting from their American mentors. For a long time, Iraqis were considered the most ineffective military forces in the region. Not so much, not anymore.
I wrote about the Iraqi army past, present, and future:
With some experience and our guidance, the new Iraqi army will in time be not only better than Saddam's army, but will be the best army in the Middle East other than Israel's.
Assad should take notice.
And Iran, too.
