Security Assistance; and Logistics - Federation of American Scientists

Observation 2. Assistance to the Ministry of Defenseand Ministry of Interior in Accounting for and Managingthe Inventory of Captured and Otherwise Obtained13 14WeaponsThe MoD captured weapons policy at Iraqi Army depots and Location Commands hadnot been fully implemented. Thousands of captured weapons were in storage at TajiNAD and the KMTB Location Command. These weapons had not had their serialnumbers recorded and had not been inspected for serviceability and placement into theIraqi military weapons inventory.Further, there was no MoD procedure in place to destroy or demilitarize any captured,confiscated, abandoned, recovered, and turned-in weapons found to be unserviceable orotherwise inappropriate for military use. Likewise, the MoI did not have a policy forcaptured, confiscated, abandoned, recovered, and turned-in weapons.This occurred because U.S. and Iraqi manpower constraints and competing priorities haddelayed the inventory and inspection of captured weapons at MoD Location Commands.Further, the MoI had not yet institutionalized a policy for captured weapons.As a result, this could result in less than 100 percent accuracy in accountability ofcaptured enemy weapons by serial number and possible misplacement, loss, or theft ofweapons. Further, the objectives of the DoD SA/LW Serialization Program could not beachieved for captured, confiscated, abandoned, recovered, and turned-in weapons. Inaddition, weapons that fall into enemy hands may not be traceable to the responsibleindividual(s) if recovered.Applicable CriteriaAlthough captured weapons accountability and control at Taji NAD and KMTB LocationCommand are Iraqi responsibilities, MNSTC-I advisors and trainers were involved in theprocess. As such, certain U.S. policies and procedures, adjusted to meet Iraqi needs anddesires, may serve as a basis for the MNSTC-I efforts in these areas.U.S. Government and DoD policies and procedures that apply to the accountability,control, and physical security of property and AA&E are outlined below.13 Otherwise obtained weapons include confiscated, abandoned, recovered, and turned-in weapons inaddition to captured weapons.14 We discussed captured weapons in Observations C and F. in DoD IG Report No. SPO-2008-001,“Assessment of the Accountability of Arms and Ammunition Provided to the Security Forces of Iraq,” July3, 2008.39