Troops To Increase Supervision of Iraqi Police

A key aspect of Bush's non-plan for "Victory in Iraq" was having Iraqi police and military take control of the security situation. As the Iraqis stand up to secure their country, we would stand down. Well, it seems we don't want them to stand up quite yet:

BAGHDAD -- U.S. officials announced plans Thursday to rein in Iraqi special police forces, increasing the number of American troops assigned to work with them and requiring permission for Iraqi raids in Baghdad after a series of prison abuse scandals that have inflamed sectarian tensions.

The decision to impose more day-to-day oversight suggests a recognition within the U.S. military that the heavy-handed tactics of some Iraqi units, which are to increasingly take on the role of fighting insurgents, have aggravated the sectarian strife that helps fuel the insurgency.

More than 2 1/2 years after the U.S.-led invasion and 1 1/2 years after the formal end of the occupation, it also illustrates that Americans still carry the final word on security matters.

One step forward, two steps back.