Iraq to take control of armed forces
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq will take control of its armed forces command on Thursday, a major step on its painful path toward independence and an essential move before international troops can eventually withdraw.Awesome. Let us pray things go... well.... smoothly, to say the least. Posted by Kyer at September 6, 2006 06:47 PM | TrackBack[Obligatory usual media negativity deleted -- --ed.] "This is such a huge, significant event that's about to occur tomorrow," U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said of the shift in the Iraqi command. "If you go back and you map out significant events that have occurred in this government's formation in taking control of the country, tomorrow is gigantic."
The highly anticipated ceremony, which will put the prime minister in direct control of the military, comes five days after it was originally scheduled. The government abruptly called off the original ceremony at the last minute.
The U.S. and the Iraqis did not publicly reveal many details of the disagreement, other than to say it was more procedural than substantive.