OPERATION TOGETHER FORWARD Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs IRAQ UPDATE September 27, st Lt. Alfred L. Butler, IV USMC Jacksonville, North Carolina Bronze Star recipient Total number of trained and equipped Iraqi Security Force personnel exceeds 300,000. POLICE At the end of 2004, there were almost 73,000 trained and equipped Ministry of Interior forces; today there are approximately 172,000, which includes over 120,000 "beat cops" and all 27 National Police battalions. 185 Police Transition Teams comprised of 6,000 Coalition Force troops and 600 International Police Liaison Officers (IPLO) are embedded with local Iraqi Police at station, district and provincial levels while 39 National Police Transition Teams (NPTT) consisting of 450 Coalition Forces and 32 IPLOs work with the National Police. MILITARY On September 3, 2006 saw the Iraq Joint Headquarters assume operational control of the Iraqi Navy, Air Force and the Iraqi Ground Forces Command (IGFC). The IGFC currently has operational control of two Iraqi Army Division Headquarters - the 8th IA Division and the 4th IA Division. More divisions will follow throughout the year. The Iraqi Army currently has 10 combat division headquarters. KEY STATISTICS Iraqi led operations in Baghdad from August 7 th – September 22 nd, 2006: Cleared more than 85,000 buildings Found more than 35 weapons caches Seized more than 1,500 weapons Registered more than 780 weapons Detained 114 Anti-Iraqi Forces Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) outnumber Coalition forces 3 to 1. ISF carries the preponderance of the responsibilities in Baghdad. Coalition Forces = 15,400 Iraqi Army = 9,600 Iraqi National Police = 12,700 Iraqi Police = 22,400 Total = 60,100 1st Lt. Butler and his team were conducting operations in Fallujah, Iraq, on Dec. 23, 2004, when insurgents ambushed his platoon. Butler raced to the attack where several men in a house were taking heavy automatic weapons fire. He evacuated the men from a house under intense fire, and then organized an assault force to confront the insurgents who were pinning down additional men on the second floor. Jumping roof to roof, Butler and his team cleared two buildings under fire to retrieve the other men. Butler disregarded his own safety and shielded the bodies of fallen Marines when a grenade landed nearby. For his actions, Butler was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device for his actions. HERO IN THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORSECURITY

PROVINCIAL IRAQI CONTROLIRAQI RECONSTRUCTIONIRAQI’S IN THE LEAD Provincial Iraqi Control (PIC) has occurred in two provinces: Muthanna PIC occurred on 13 July. Dhi Qar PIC occurred on 21 Sept. Dhi Qar, with its 1.8 million residents, has three times the population as Muthanna. There will be other transfers of responsibility in other provinces, as directed by Prime Minister Maliki. From January 2005, to the present, more than 630 foreign fighters have been captured from over 25 different countries within Iraq. Today, there are approximately 370 foreign fighters in captivity. During August, there were approximately 40 foreign fighters killed or captured, most of these being killed in operations in Iraq. Egyptians, Syrians, Sudanese, and Saudi nationals are the most prevalent foreign fighters that we have captured or killed during that time period. FOREIGN FIGHTERS In October ’05, the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) had 1 division, 4 brigades, and 23 battalions that controlled areas of responsibility. In September ’06, the ISF has 6 division headquarters (HQ), 26 brigades HQs, and 88 battalions that control their own areas of responsibility. Dhi Qar Province Baghdad Province Meeting the needs of the Iraqi people is key to defeating the insurgency of Iraq. Here are some examples of projects enhancing the lives of Iraqis: TRANSPORTATION: The $7.1 million Baghdad International Airport rehabilitation project was completed in late August. Currently, there’s an average of 73 commercial flights serving Iraqis on a daily basis. GOVERNMENT: Iraq has made great advances in promoting a decentralized government starting in June By June 2006, Iraq had 18 governance councils, in addition to 90 district councils, 194 city or sub- districts councils, and 437 neighborhood councils. ECONOMY: 33,384 new Iraqi businesses have been registered since % of Iraqi businessmen anticipate growth in the national economy over the next two years. Muthanna Province