Following is information compiled by the Multi-National Force - Iraq. (Link to the page on the MNF-I web site 

at www.mnf-iraq.com) 

Operation Iraqi Freedom: Three Year Anniversary -- Progress Fact Sheet

In just three years, the people, the government and security forces of Iraq have made tremendous and 

steady progress: the elimination of a brutal dictator, the democratic election of an Iraqi government, the 

development of an Iraqi constitution, the restoration of Iraq’s infrastructure beyond pre-war levels and the 

establishment of an increasingly effective Iraqi Security Force that in time will be able to take over from 

Multi-National Force-Iraq. 

As their march towards a stable democracy continues, the United States Embassy – Iraq and Multi-National 

Force-Iraq remain committed to the people and government of Iraq while it shapes and seats its new 

government, a government in which all Iraqis have a voice and their rights are protected and acts as a 

partner in the war on terror. 

WAR ON TERROR 

 Before the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq, under the control of Saddam, was an enemy of 

the U.S. and the civilized world; today it is an ally of both as well as a global partner in fighting 

terror. 

 The aim is to defeat the terrorists and their allies at the heart of their power - and Coalition forces 

are achieving that goal. Coalition and Iraqi Security Force operations in Iraq continue fighting the 

terrorists and regime remnants in Iraq, who seek to overthrow a democracy, claim a strategic 

country as a haven of terror, destabilize the Middle East, and strike America and other free nations 

with ever increasing violence. 

 Since 2003, Iraqi forces have fought alongside Coalition forces in Najaf, Samarra, Fallujah, 

Baghdad, North Babil, Mosul, Al Anbar, and a host of other locations. Although Iraqi forces have 

endured thousands of casualties, have been attacked multiple times each day, and have suffered 

losses through brutal intimidation attacks, there remains no shortage of volunteers ready to step up 

and defend the sovereignty and freedom of their nation. 

 Fighting the enemy here in Iraq makes it more difficult for them to strike us in the U.S. We can 

decisively weaken the ideological extremists, led by bin Laden, Zawahiri and Zarqawi, by stabilizing 

Iraq, and actively helping Iraq help themselves against this threat. 

 Now that the people of Iraq are permitted to choose their own destiny and advance by their own 

energy the terrorists are being marginalized; last year, tips to Coalition or Iraqi Security Forces 

regarding terrorist activity or locations only numbered about 400 a month, by year’s end more than 

4,500 calls per month provided information on terrorists or resources whereabouts. 

 Operations continue to degrade the terrorist network. Since January 2005, we have killed or 

captured more than 122 key leaders of Al Qaeda in Iraq. 

Information compiled from White House reports, 2006 MNF-I press conference transcripts, and MNF-I 

Report “2005 Year in Review” 

US Department of Defense 

. 7, 200 DoD Update: March 20, 2006 – MNF-I Fact Sheet OIF
IRAQI GOVERNMENT 

General Governance

 The Iraqi people took responsibility for their government with the transfer of sovereignty and the 

establishment of the Interim Iraqi Government on June 28, 2004. In the December 2005 elections 

more than 300 parties and coalitions were registered, and roughly 11 million voters participated, 

including many who had opposed the constitution and boycotted elections in January. 

 The Council of Representatives (CoR), the parliament elected under the new Iraqi constitution, 

convened on Thursday, March 16, at the Parliament Center in Baghdad. Two hundred seventyfive representatives were sworn into Iraq’s new four-year government. The formal seating or 

convening of this CoR symbolizes an important step in Iraq’s pathway to democracy. This 

representative body will serve as the basis for establishing a broad-based government of national 

unity for Iraq. 

 In 2003, the authoritarian control of Saddam’s regime allowed few of Iraq’s 18 governorates any 

real authority. Today, those 18 governorate councils, in addition to 90 district councils, 194 city or 

sub-district councils, and 437 neighborhood councils established since the start of OIF equate to 

and promote a decentralized governance system that provides more than 19 million people the 

means to engage in local policy discourse. 

 It is unknown if civil society organizations even existed under the totalitarian regime of Saddam; 

however, now in 2006, there are more than 561 civil society organizations in 18 governorates 

established as part of a campaign targeting grassroots democracy. 

 Today, there are more than 40 countries and international organizations with Embassies and 

Missions established in Iraq, cementing Iraq’s position in a cooperative, global community. 

Information provided by MNF-I, DCS STRATEFF, Policy Division 

Ministry of Education 

 In 2003, approximately 6.1 million children were enrolled in Iraq’s lower education system. Of these 

only about 2.96 million were expected to graduate from secondary school. Now, in 2006 nearly 

25% of the Iraqi population either attends a school of, or is directly employed by, the Ministry of 

Education. With a 2006 budget of $1.9 million (up 66% from 2005), the ministry oversees more 

than 20,000 school sessions in over 14,731 school buildings, administrative offices, and 

educational facilities nationwide. The MoED provides the oversight and training needed to support 

500,000 teachers in their work with 6.28-6.4 million K-12 students a 3-5% increase from 2003. 

 In 2003 there were 14,731 kindergarten, elementary and secondary schools, most of which 

suffered from years of neglect by the Saddam regime, an insurgency intent on intimidating 

teachers and students, and the damage caused by war. Over the last three years nearly 6,000 of 

those schools have been renovated or undergone some form of rehabilitation. 

 In 2003, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MHESR) consisted of 22 

universities, 46 institutes or colleges within the community college system, two commissions and 

two research centers. Since 2003, MHESR has, in addition to continuous work on its facilities and 

infrastructure that had been largely destroyed by war and looting, has been able to install nearly a 

dozen new colleges within its university system. 

Information provided by Iraq Reconstruction Management Office 
Ministry of Health

 Iraq's Ministry of Health (MoH) on Sept. 4, 2004, initiated the first polio immunization program in 

the country since the start of the war in March 2003, in an effort to protect 4.7 million children from 

the infectious disease. After two rounds of National Polio Immunization Days in the summer of 

2005, 98% of Iraqi children under five have been vaccinated for polio. 

 With support from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization 

(WHO) and the European Union (EU), which contributed over US $2.5 million, the Iraqi authorities 

succeeded in immunizing the vast majority of children in the first three days of the campaign, 

UNICEF said. A total of 25 million doses of vaccine were purchased with help from a $3.2 million 

grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). 

Information compiled from the MNF-I Reports “2004/2005 Year in Review” and Iraq Reconstruction 

Management Office report “Rebuilding Iraq” (Feb 06) 

IRAQI SECURITY FORCES 

General Security

 Today, ISF independent operations account for more than 36 percent of total operations 

conducted. 

 Since 2003, 34 Forward Operating Bases out of a peak total of 110, have been transferred to the 

Iraqi Transitional Government, transferred to the ISF or closed. 

 Controlling its national borders and preventing infiltration of terrorists and foreign fighters wishing to 

use Iraq as a safe haven or conduct acts of terror, was possible due to operations in Al Anbar, Tall 

Afar, and the Western Euphrates River Valley area. These operations, along with the 

establishment of 258 border forts, resulted in the successful restoration of border control to the 

people and government of Iraq in late 2005. 

 Since 2003, 258 border facilities, 309 police stations, 14 academies and branch schools, 26 unit 

headquarters, and 67 fire stations have been built or rehabilitated. 

Information compiled from 2006 MNF-I press conference transcripts 

Ministry of Defense

 After being formally dissolved May 23, 2003, the first 1,000 recruits of Iraq’s new Army began 

training Aug 2, 2003. Today the Ministry of Defense forces now number 112,900; with 99,500 in the 

Army, 600 in the Air Force, and 800 in the Navy, and 10,800 in various support force units. 

 The Iraqi military was rebuilt from scratch since 2003. The Iraqi Army absorbed the Iraqi National 

Guard to form 10 Iraqi Army combat divisions. There are now 101 trained and equipped combat 

battalions in the Iraqi Army – all of them are in the fight. This includes a (Special Operations 

Forces) Counter-Terrorist battalion, a Commando battalion, and Strategic Infrastructure battalions. 

Most recently, the Counter-Terrorism battalion rescued a retired Iraqi army brigadier general who 

had been kidnapped and was going to be killed by his captors. Today, 49 Iraqi Army combat 

battalions, 13 Brigade headquarters, and two Division headquarters control their own battle space. 

 Iraq’s Navy is now operational with a Patrol Boat Squadron with five Predator-class Patrol Craft, an 

Assault Boat Squadron with 25 Fast Assault Boats (FABs), and a Marine battalion, all of which 

serve to defend Iraq’s coast, territorial waters, vital ports and offshore assets against both external 

and internal security threats. 
 Iraq’s Air Force has five fully operational squadrons capable of conducting a variety of airlift, utility, 

intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. The squadrons include one C130 transport squadron, two ISR squadrons with CH2000, Compair, and Seeker aircraft, and two 

helicopter squadrons with UH-1s and Bell Jet Rangers. The IAF recently purchased 10 Mi17 Hip 

helicopters which will soon form another helicopter squadron. 

 Iraq’s three military academies are committed to professionalizing the Iraqi military. Rustamiyah 

has graduated 73 from the Sandhurst model course, Zahko has graduated 411, and Qalachoun 

currently has 188 enrolled. Between the three institutions, 653 have graduated from the threeweek newcomer’s course. 

 Since 2003, construction on 12 major military training facilities was completed and 10 other 

projects are ongoing. 

Information provided by MNSTC-I Public Affairs 

Ministry of Interior

 In 2003, Iraq had a dilapidated internal security force. Today the Ministry of Interior has over 

127,845 professionally trained and equipped members. Of those, over 88,962 are trained and 

equipped regular police officers and the other approximately 38,883 are assigned to National 

Police Forces, Commandos, Public Order Division, Mechanized Police Brigade and Border 

Enforcement. 

 In November 2003, Iraq’s only formal police training academy opened in Jordan; today, there are 

12 police training academies including eight basic police academies that instruct the10-week basic 

training course, designed to better prepare the police for the challenging environment in which 

many will serve. 

 In 2003, Iraq was unable to independently provide security for its own borders; today 20,391 border 

enforcement personnel have completed training and 258 border forts have been built, or are 

currently under construction, to help Iraq’s Border Enforcement officers patrol and secure Iraq’s 

borders. 

 Since 2003, 20 provincial SWAT teams of 32 personnel each have been trained and equipped, and 

one more is scheduled to complete training by December 2006. 

 Since 2003, 277 Iraqi Police construction projects were completed across the 18 provinces and 11 

major cities. This included 37 police headquarters, 187 police stations, and seven highway patrol 

stations. 

Information provided by MNF-I/Ministry of Interior Liaison Officer 

IRAQI ECONOMY 

 When Coalition forces began Operation Iraqi Freedom, they entered a country whose energy 

infrastructure had deteriorated over many years. The U.S. Embassy and MNF-I set out to help the 

Iraqi government restore oil facilities, increase production, and improve refining, natural gas 

production, and pipeline facilities; by year-end 2005, 179 oil projects have been pursued worth 

$1.16 billion, 42 have been completed worth $110 million. Production is on par with prewar levels 

at 2.0 million barrels of oil per day (bpd) and exports of 1.3 million bpd. Over 350 pipelines have 

been repaired and revenues are up to $24.5 billion from postwar levels of $5.1 billion in 2003. 

 The U.S. Embassy and the Government of Iraq continue to address the issue of Iraqi 

unemployment; today, about 1.5 million Iraqis are employed under reconstruction efforts, working 

on schools, clinic, roads and numerous other infrastructure projects, and the overall national 
unemployment dropped in 2005 to 28% (as reported by COSIT) or 12-18% (as estimated by MNFI). 

 Since 2003, 32,574 new Iraqi businesses have been registered. 

Information provided by MNF-I, DCS STRATEFF, Economics Division 

RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS 

 The Iraq Relief & Reconstruction Fund ($2.5 billion) and supplemental appropriations ($18.4 billion) 

have been committed to the rebuilding of Iraq. As of March 7, 2006, $18.6 billion (of which $11.4 

billion is obligated for DoD projects) has been obligated on Iraqi reconstruction. 

 Since March 2003, more than 11,600 construction projects have been started. More than 9,340 

projects, valued at $9.3 billion, have been completed. 

 Since March 2003 $9.6 billion (IRRF 1 - $2.5 billon, IRRF 2 - $7.1 billion) has been focused on 

providing reliable essential services (electricity, water, transportation, telecommunications, and 

oil). More than 2,412 essential service projects are either completed or underway. 

 Before March 2003, Iraq averaged 4,300 MW of peak electricity generation, supplying Baghdad 

with 12 to 24 hours of power a day by diverting power from the rest of Iraq, left with four to eight 

hours of power, however today the average Iraqi citizen has seven hours of electrical service in 

Baghdad and 10 to 12 hours in the rest of the country. It is expected to be 12 to 14 hours over the 

next year. 

 Before March 2003, only 5.5 million of Iraq’s 25 million citizens had access to a safe and stable 

water supply. Iraq’s cities suffered from inadequate sewage systems, today 19 potable water 

treatment facilities have been built or rehabilitated, providing a standard level of service to about 

2.7 million more Iraqis. In addition eight centralized sewage treatment facilities have been 

rehabilitated, adding capacity to benefit 4.9 million Iraqis. 

 Health care for some ethnic groups was almost nonexistent under Saddam's regime; today there 

are over 300 new health care facility projects across Iraq and over 270 projects underway to be 

completed by mid-year 2007 allowing an additional 7 million Iraqi citizens, regardless of ethnicity, 

geographic origin, gender, or religious affiliation access to health care that was unavailable under 

the old regime. 

Information complied from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region Division, Public Affairs and IRMO 

Feb 06 report “Rebuilding Iraq” 

Published by the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Public Affairs