Self-Sufficiency Still Eludes Domestic Security Forces

The Iraqi government relies heavily on the U.S. military for air support, intelligence gathering and border security, Iraqi officials say.

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said that the military and police had made considerable progress, but that "we do believe that still our security forces need help with supplies and training."

Although Iraq faces no imminent threat of invasion, it has a history of conflict with Iran, and its north is frequently raided by Turkish forces striking Kurdish rebels who launch cross-border attacks. Iraq's predominantly Sunni neighbors, such as Saudi Arabia, have been uneasy at the rise of a Shiite-dominated Iraqi government in place of the Sunni-led rule of Hussein.

U.S. military officials hope to teach the Iraqi security forces, which often used a heavy-handed approach under the dictator, not only good technical skills but also democratic values.

But as the Iraqi forces start taking over, it is unclear how powerful the American legacy will be.

West said he had high hopes for the national police unit with which he works. But the officers sometimes behave differently when they think the Americans are not watching, he said.

For example, during joint patrols, the Iraqi officers drive slowly.

"Then we see them flying by at 80 miles an hour" when they are working alone, West said. "Are they going to act the same way when we're gone? I'm kind of curious about that."