Washington: The US Defence Department is reinforcing a badly understaffed office in Baghdad to speed the flow of warfighting gear to Iraqi forces and to make sure the weapons do not end up in the hands of insurgents or on the black market.

The nearly 1,000 per cent increase in staff - from six people to almost 70 - includes a two-star general, who arrived in Iraq two weeks ago to manage the expanding team. Army Reserve Maj Gen George Smith replaces a colonel, underscoring increased power expected for the office handling billions of dollars in arms sales.

The additional personnel are intended to untie the bureaucratic knots blocking aircraft, armored vehicles, radios and guns from getting into the hands of Iraqi police and military units assuming more control for the country s security. For months Iraqi officials have complained bitterly that the delays were forcing their troops to fight with inferior equipment.

As demands for more and better gear have increased, so too have concerns over who is winding up with the stocks. Corruption within Iraq's government has been well documented and tens of thousands of US-supplied weapons have gone missing with some of the firepower allegedly being used by terrorist groups.

The Pentagon s inspector general, Claude Kicklighter, led an investigation to determine how pervasive the problem is and what steps need to be taken for tighter control over arms, ammunition and explosives. Kicklighter s findings, which have been presented to Defence Secretary Robert Gates, are classified.

Source : PTI