A New Push for Iraqi Security

By Eric Westervelt

Published May 25, 2004 at 12:00 AM EDT

Members of the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps, wearing masks to protect their identities, train at a shooting range outside of Mosul.

During recent fighting, thousands of U.S.-trained Iraqi police, civil defense members and others walked off the job, refused orders or deserted. Now, once again, U.S. officials are hoping to improve vetting, training and leadership for Iraqi security forces. NPR's Eric Westervelt reports.

It's uncertain when Iraqi forces will be ready to assume the lead in their own security. U.S. officials concede that both training and the crucial element of integrating new troops with allied forces were inconsistent at best across Iraq.

Eric Westervelt

Eric Westervelt is a San Francisco-based correspondent for NPR's National Desk. He has reported on major events for the network from wars and revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa to historic wildfires and terrorist attacks in the U.S.

See stories by Eric Westervelt

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