Iraq Article Index : Current 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Why Geography
 Latest
 News
 
 Most
 Read
 
 Most
 Commented
 Hot
 Topics
January 31, 2004
   

With the help of the CIA, a new Iraqi intelligence agency is being formed. Using former members of Saddam's government, and intelligence services, who fled Iraq before last year's war, and carefully selected current members of the recently dissolved intelligence services, the new organization will grow from a few hundred, to some 2,000 members in the next year. The main job of the new agency will be identifying terrorists (both Iraqi and foreigners) as well as members of organized Iraqi groups who are attacking coalition troops, aid groups and government officials. It is believed that some members of the new intelligence service are already at work. Screening former members of Saddam's intelligence services proved difficult. The Iraqi intelligence agencies (there were several) had a culture of violence and corruption. Their motto seemed to be "Whatever It Takes." Torture and murder were common, as was working closely with criminal gangs. To make matters worse, Iraqi intelligence tended to be sloppy, and prone to believe what they (or Saddam) wanted to believe. There were some very clever and capable people in Iraqi intelligence, but it's not known how many of these passed the "smell test" (did not engage in summary executions or lots of torture).