Iraq starts to take OPCON

It has started. The true path home. The true path to redeployment. The true path to victory. To go with the slide from earlier today,

The Iraqi Ministry of Defense, through its joint headquarters in Baghdad, will assume operational control of the Iraqi army, as well as the country’s air force and navy, in early September, Army Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell, spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq, said at a news briefing.

“This is a significant step in the Iraqi path to self-reliance and security,” Caldwell said. “What this means is that the Iraqi Ministry of Defense is prepared to begin assuming direct operational control over Iraq’s armed forces.”

And it is being done smart. One bite at a time.

The transition of control of Iraq’s armed forces to the Iraqi government should take several months, Caldwell said.

The 10 Iraqi army divisions eventually will come under the direct operational control of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, commander in chief of Iraq’s armed forces, Caldwell said.

“The majority of Iraqi (army) divisions will remain under coalition forces initially,” Caldwell explained, “and then be gradually transitioned into the Iraqi ground forces command.”