Iraqi army and police at full strength in 2009

Washington Post:

Iraq's army and police will be fully manned and operational by mid-2009, possibly as early as April, the top U.S. general in charge of building Iraqi security forces said yesterday, signaling the prospect that Iraqi forces could assume primary combat responsibilities in the country while U.S. troops shift to a supporting role.

Asked when Iraqi ground forces could handle security so U.S. troops would not have to, Lt. Gen. James Dubik told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that the strength of Iraq's ground forces had grown significantly. "The ground forces will mostly be done by middle of next year; their divisions, brigades and battalions are on a good timeline," Dubik said in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. "Could be as early as April. Could be as late as August," said Dubik, who until last week led the effort to train Iraqi forces.

...

Iraqi spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in Baghdad on Wednesday that a U.S. pullout could be completed in several years. "It can be 2011 or 2012," he said. "We don't have a specific date in mind, but we need to agree on the principle of setting a deadline."

The White House said yesterday that while the administration remains opposed to "arbitrary" timetables for withdrawal, it is considering whether to agree to a long-term goal for U.S. troops to leave Iraq depending on security conditions.

"We'd like to have a date that we can reach for as a goal when coalition forces can make this transition, but it should be based on ground conditions," said White House spokesman Tony Fratto. "Our negotiators have been able to discuss general time horizons and goals like that."

...

There is a huge difference between what Democrats have been insisting on and what the US and Iraqi officials are discussing. Democrats want a full speed retreat regardless of the situation on the ground. The Bush administration and the Iraqis officials appear to be looking at a flexible schedule that can adjust to any new threats and maintain Iraqi security.

The biggest obstacle to Iraqi self sufficiency is in the area of logistics. The Iraqis still have a long way to go in that area and there appears to be a cultural of corruption that might impede that effort. Even with the success Iraq is having against internal enemies, it will still need support in dealing with external enemies like Iran.