WASHINGTON — Caught off guard by recent Iraqi military operations, the United States is using spy satellites that ordinarily are trained on adversaries to monitor the movements of the U.S.-backed Iraqi army, according to current and former U.S. officials. The stepped-up surveillance reflects breakdowns in trust and coordination between the two forces. Officials said it is part of an expanded intelligence effort launched after American commanders were surprised by the timing of the Iraqi army’s violent push into Basra three months ago.
The use of the satellites puts the U.S. in the unusual position of employing some of its most sophisticated espionage technology to track an allied army that American forces helped create, continue to advise and often fight alongside.
