Iraq: May 19, 2003

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About half the nation police force, 10,000 cops, are back at work. Only a small percentage have been allowed to carry guns, as Iraqi police must go through a training course (on when and how) to use their weapons. There is also a shortage of vehicles, the entire police force only has 50. The rest were looted. Police are performing more patrols. But coalition troops still perform most of the patrolling. Today coalition troops did 1,154 patrols, although 239 were with Iraqi police along. There were also five raids.  However, Iraq will need more than 20,000 police, because these have been supplemented by over 100,000 secret police and militias during the last few decades. Given the number of lawless Iraqis wandering about, the country will probably need more like 40-50,000 police.