Lagging

Los Angeles Times:

A joint security committee directed by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Bush to accelerate the transfer of security responsibility to the Iraqi army and police warned that Iraq is lagging in a number of categories, according to a copy of the committee's quarterly findings.

The report, a copy of which was obtained by the Los Angeles Times, said the Finance Ministry was blocking the Iraq military from spending $660 million to build a logistical network; that militias were an obstacle to handing security over to Iraqis in three mainly Shiite provinces; and that competition among rival security organizations had prevented the country from settling upon a proper national security structure.