MTP-Is this a stupid/naive question?

[trof]

OK, Given: Rumsfeld is a slick, oily, lying prick.
But he's talking about recruiting Iraqi policemen AND SOLDIERS.
Why would Iraq NEED an army? Are they threatened by invasion by another country?
With us over there for the foreseeable future?
What function would an army perform?
What need would they fulfill?

Ok, I'm ready to be educated.

[Shipwack]

1. Not particularly stupid, but...

Every country needs a large enough army to defend itself. If we don't allow Iraq to have its own army, we'll have to station troops there permanently to protect them. Even Japan was eventually allowed to have a "self-defense force" after WW2. The longer American troops are occupying Iraqi soil, the more agitated Iraqi and Arabs will be, and the more money and personel various terrorist organisations will be able to get.

For those who insist on a more sinister angle... If America is being transformed into an "Empire", we are going to need client states to fight our wars for us. So, we are going to arm Iraq, keep them on a leash, and use them if we have a beef with another state in the region. Jerry Pournelle talks about this a bit more here.