On the September 6 edition of the CBS Evening News, anchor Katie Couric's report from Iraq included a reference to the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq, but Couric did not mention the commission's key findings regarding Iraqi police forces. Congress created the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq, chaired by retired Gen. James L. Jones, to provide an independent assessment of the Iraqi Security Forces -- both military and police. Couric introduced a report by chief foreign correspondent Lara Logan on the Iraqi military's “first-class special operations force” by saying that “a panel of retired military officers recommended the U.S. cut troop levels significantly next year to give Iraqi forces more control” and that “the panel admitted the Iraqis won't be able to fully control their country anytime soon, not in the next 18 months.” However, Couric did not report that the commission found that the Iraqi Police Service is “incapable” of “protect[ing] Iraqi neighborhoods from insurgents and sectarian violence” and that "[t]he National Police have proven operationally ineffective" because "[s]ectarianism in its units undermines its ability to provide security."

While Couric reported that the commission “admitted the Iraqis won't be able to fully control their country anytime soon, not in the next 18 months,” she made no mention of the commission's findings regarding the Iraqi National Police or the Iraqi Police Service. In its conclusions and key findings, the commission wrote: “The Iraqi Police Service is incapable today of providing security at a level sufficient to protect Iraqi neighborhoods from insurgents and sectarian violence. The police are central to long-term establishment of security in Iraq. To be effective in combating the threats that officers face, including sectarian violence, the Iraqi Police Service must be better trained and equipped.” While the commission noted that it “believes that the Iraqi Police Service can improve rapidly should the Ministry of Interior become a more functional institution,” its conclusion about the Ministry of Interior stated: “The Ministry of Interior is a ministry in name only. It is widely regarded as being dysfunctional and sectarian, and suffers from ineffective leadership. Such fundamental flaws present a serious obstacle to achieving the levels of readiness, capability, and effectiveness in police and border security forces that are essential for internal security and stability in Iraq.” Regarding the National Police Force, the commission concluded: “The National Police have proven operationally ineffective. Sectarianism in its units undermines its ability to provide security; the force is not viable in its current form. The National Police should be disbanded and reorganized.”

Couric also did not mention the commission's assessment of the significant problems with the Iraqi Security Forces on the September 5 edition of the CBS Evening News, despite featuring an interview with Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, who touted the military's strategy of working with Iraqi Security Forces to help Iraqi civilians gain “more confidence” in the U.S. and Iraqi militaries. By contrast, NBC News chief Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski reported during the September 5 broadcast of NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams that the “commission found that the Iraqi national police are crippled by sectarianism and so infiltrated by Shiite militants that the national police force should be disbanded, and that local police are still incapable of protecting against insurgents and sectarian violence.” Miklaszewski added: “While there were reports of some progress in the Iraqi military, the commission also found that it would still take another 12 to 18 months before they'd be able to operate without U.S. military help.” On the September 5 Evening News, Couric introduced her interview with Odierno by stating that “since January, there's been a new strategy” in place to secure Baghdad: “Iraqi army and police working with U.S. forces in dozens of joint security stations.” Odierno later claimed that U.S. troops “conduct patrols” and “walk outside ... [w]ith Iraqi forces -- and the people get used to us. They get more confidence in us. And more importantly, it builds confidence in the Iraqi Security Forces.” Couric added: “The Iraqis know the neighborhood; the Americans have the know-how and the gear.”

From the September 6 edition of the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric:

COURIC: Back now from Damascus, Syria. The question all over the Middle East and back in the United States is when will U.S. troops withdraw from Iraq? Today on Capitol Hill, a panel of retired military officers recommended the U.S. cut troop levels significantly next year to give Iraqi forces more control. However, the panel admitted the Iraqis won't be able to fully control their country anytime soon, not in the next 18 months.

And while the Iraqi military has been widely criticized, what most people don't know is that it has a first-class special operations force. Lara Logan has this exclusive report.

From the September 5 edition of the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric:

COURIC: All of today's attacks happened in Baghdad, where a top general has been trying a new approach. He took me to the heart of the city to see it firsthand.

As second in command, few have logged more miles to Iraq's most dangerous places.

ODIERNO: I'm still not happy with the level of security. The places we're going to are [inaudible]. There are still some areas that are --

COURIC: But General Raymond Odierno's most critical battle may be the one he faces in the capital city of Baghdad, a shell of its former self.

COURIC: It's still a mess. Look at this building.

COURIC: Of the 30,000 additional troops sent here for the surge, more than 26,000 were deployed to secure Baghdad. But since January, there's been a new strategy: Iraqi army and police working with U.S. forces in dozens of joint security stations, small police stations scattered throughout neighborhoods.

ODIERNO: So what we did is, when we were on the outskirts, we would drive in every day to conduct patrols, kind of like taking a trip through the city. Now, we're here permanently, we can walk outside and --

COURIC: With Iraqi forces?

ODIERNO: With Iraqi forces -- and the people get used to us. They get more confidence in us. And more importantly, it builds confidence in the Iraqi Security Forces.

COURIC: The Iraqis know the neighborhood; the Americans have the know-how and the gear.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Vests and Humvees.

COURIC: This is one of the poorest sections of the city, and the residents here are particularly vulnerable to militants and criminals who may want to recruit or exploit them. Simple tasks, the general says, are good signs.

COURIC: Something as simple as picking up the trash or sweeping it up is a positive sign to you?

ODIERNO: Because it shows confidence. Before they had security, they didn't care.

COURIC: All they cared about is how to stay alive.

ODIERNO: That's right.

[...]

COURIC: Baghdad is still rife with sectarian violence, Al Qaeda, militias, and gangs. Just this past Saturday, four people were killed in random shootings, a mortar killed one, wounded another, a roadside bomb wounded three Iraqi police officers, and the bodies of 15 people were found scattered all over the city.

Believe it or not, this is a significant improvement from last year, though, when an average of 85 people were killed here every single day.

ODIERNO: We've seen a reduction in incidents. We've seen a reduction in car bombs and truck bombs. We've seen a reduction in the explosive IEDs in Baghdad -- so the signs are good.

COURIC: As for the state of the Iraqi army?

ODIERNO: It'll take us a while longer to continue to get them to the strength necessary and trained to the level that we expect them to be at in order to maintain that control. But the key piece that we are seeing is, in fact, the populace are rejecting these groups, and that's the first step.

COURIC: This is psychological warfare, Baghdad style. An effort to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people by turning them against extremists and convincing them that U.S. and Iraqi soldiers are here to keep them safe and improve their lives.

From the September 5 edition of NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams:

MIKLASZEWSKI: Good evening, Brian. This latest report comes from an independent commission looking into Iraqi Security Forces and delivers a damning indictment of Iraqi police. The commission found that the Iraqi national police are crippled by sectarianism and so infiltrated by Shiite militants that the national police force should be disbanded, and that local police are still incapable of protecting against insurgents and sectarian violence.

While there were reports of some progress in the Iraqi military, the commission also found that it would still take another 12 to 18 months before they'd be able to operate without U.S. military help.