Photo By Maj. Alan Brown | CNN correspondent Fredrik Pleitgan interviews Master Sgt. Mazen Karim, a police...... read more read more
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NASIRIYAH, Iraq – A crew from CNN International visited Iraqi police at the Joint Training Center in Nasiriyah, June 2, to learn more about their increasing capabilities since the U.S. has transitioned to an advise and assist role.
The production crew embedded for four days with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, where it worked on several stories relating to the U.S. responsible drawdown of forces and the logistics involved with reducing the U.S. military presence in Iraq.
The media crew, led by Jomana Karadsheh, producer, and correspondent Frederik Pleitgen, filmed a group of police trainees with the help of videographer Clayton Nagle and production assistant Alan Trappe.
The police trainees conducted afternoon drill before preparing for a series of exams. Police officers within the compound also displayed their two new anti-riot trucks that use non-lethal water jets to disperse potentially dangerous crowds.
Pleitgen conducted interviews with Iraqi police to learn more about how they interact with U.S. forces and how they’ve changed their training program over the last two years.
Master Sgt. Mazen Karim, a police trainer, said the Iraqi police have come a long way in its training regimen.
“Now at these final stages, we can train police forces across Iraq,” said Karim.
“Lately we have become ready to train all of Iraq’s police, and we are ready to do any kind of training course.”
In light of the planned U.S. reduction of forces over the coming months, Pleitgen asked about how the Iraqi police have evolved.
“Over the past two years, there has been cooperation between U.S. forces and the Iraqi police, especially in Dhi Qar,” said Karin.
Highlighting the new advise and assist mission, where U.S. forces provide training, oversight and assistance, Karim said, “They are always around and work here on a daily basis. We have been cooperating, and we have evolved based on this. We benefitted from them a lot.”
Having reported throughout Iraq for several years, Pleitgen has witnessed the tremendous progress of the Iraqi Security Forces. He said he was pleased to see the Iraqi forces taking the lead with the U.S. forces clearly in a supporting role.
“I have been following the evolution of the Iraqi security forces for more than three years,” said Pleitgen. “It seems that the [Iraqi police] training and readiness have constantly progressed to the point where they are the dominant and accepted force on the streets of Nasiriyah. “
The crew was interested in seeing how Iraqi and U.S. forces interact on a daily basis. To illustrate how the friendship has developed, a group of IPs invited a group of U.S. Soldiers into the cab of one of the new riot-control trucks to demonstrate some of its features. In good fun, the truck began to spray everyone outside the truck including the Iraqis, the Americans and the CNN crew.
“Our relationship with the U.S. forces is a really good one, and they have given us full support over the past two years. They have enabled us to evolve. So now we have a leading role, in addition to the U.S. forces supporting us with training,” said Karin.
| Date Taken: | 06.11.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2010 10:26 |
| Story ID: | 51239 |
| Location: | NASIRIYAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 259 |
| Downloads: | 180 |
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