Relevant extracts from weekly report from Douglas Brand, 22 February 2004

22 February 2004 Relevant Extract of Report from Douglas Brand Chief Police Advisor, Ministry of Interior, Baghdad Strategic developments By far the most significant issue occupying us since Friday 20th is the implication of the directive to Bremer from Rumsfeld that the responsibility and resourcing for police training should be transferred to the new US military 4 star structure for Iraq. The letter goes far beyond what earlier indications had led us to believe, and directs that responsibility for prioritization should also be transferred. There are wide implications for the progression of existing training and future training plans, and current intended activity is in temporary limbo because all finance for training and equipping, over $950 million, has been transferred to Dept. of Defence. It is not clear at this stage what consultation has been conducted with US State Dept, Dept of Justice and Dept of Homeland Security whose facilities and staff had to varying degrees been integrated into the training and development plans. A specific issue for the UK to consider is whether it accepts the transfer of civilian police trainers in both Jordan and Baghdad to the command of the US military. Iraqrep has forwarded a report in more detail by secure means to which I have contributed.