WASHINGTON, July 22 (UPI) -- While able to fight with U.S. and coalition help, Iraqi forces are not ready to defend their country on their own, a Pentagon report says.
Much of the 23-page assessment presented to Congress argued that economic, political and security indicators are headed in the right direction, the Washington Post reported Friday.
It cautioned, however, that the insurgency remained "capable, adaptable and intent on carrying out attacks" and senior defense officials again declined to place a timetable on the withdrawal of a significant number of U.S. troops.
Senior Democrats in the House and Senate assailed the report for discussing details of the readiness of Iraqi security forces only in classified annexes, which they said keeps the public in the dark about the status of the war.
Pentagon officials said they have no intention of releasing specific information about the progress of Iraqi troops because they fear it would give insurgents an advantage
