Iraqi police force should be scrapped-U.S. report

WASHINGTON, Sept 5 (Reuters) The Iraqi National Police force should be scrapped and reorganized because of ethnic divisions in its ranks, a new US report said today.

''The National Police have proven operationally ineffective,'' said the independent commission headed by retired Marine Gen. James Jones. The report's conclusions and recommendations were obtained by Reuters.

''Sectarianism in its units undermines its ability to provide security; the (police) force is not viable in its current form,'' the report said. ''The National Police should be disbanded and reorganized.'' The report was more positive about the Iraqi army, saying it is capable of taking over an increasing amount of combat duties from multinational forces in Iraq. But the army would not be able to operate independently within the next 12 to 18 months, the document said.

The security assessment is one of several reports on Iraq ordered by the US Congress this month as lawmakers resume debate on the unpopular war and President George W Bush reviews his strategy.

A separate account by a congressional investigative agency yesterday said that violence remained high in Iraq and that the number of Iraqi security forces capable of conducting independent operations had declined.

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