U.S.-Trained Pali Police Unprepared for the Job

Good thing we sank a reported $80 million into this training. Of course it should come as no surprise these clowns are unprepared and our money is going down the rathole.

Raise your hands all of you who didn't see this coming.

Of course, the WaPo goes out of their way to blame--guess who?--Israel!

The first class of Palestinian security officers trained under a multimillion-dollar U.S. program to strengthen the Palestinian Authority is deploying to one of the West Bank's most restive cities without promised supplies of body armor, helmets or even flashlights after Israel blocked a shipment of equipment.

The shortage in U.S.-funded supplies threatens the Palestinian government's ability to provide security in the West Bank, which Israel has made a condition of future withdrawals from the occupied territories. There have also been significant problems with the training, including a final round that one American involved in the program described as "a complete fiasco."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who arrives in the region this weekend, has said the training program is an essential part of the Bush administration's push for an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement before it leaves office in January [snicker -- ed.].

But Israel has traditionally viewed Palestinian security forces as potential adversaries, even though this training class is affiliated with the moderate Palestinian government that serves as the Jewish state's counterpart in peace talks. In this case, Israel failed to approve delivery of the requested supplies in time for the deployment, according to senior Palestinian officials.

The Israelis have it exactly right. We're essentially supplying and equipping these goons who will turn their weapons on them at the first opportunity.

This has been a complete farce from the outset and we should be ashamed for taking any part in this fraud.