▁government . ▁The ▁formal ▁transfer ▁was ▁conducted ▁between ▁Major ▁General ▁Jack ▁Gard ner , ▁Commander ▁of ▁Task ▁Force ▁ 1 3 4 , ▁and ▁represent atives ▁of ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Justice ▁and ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁army . ▁ ▁Ira qi ▁government ▁takes ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁Ira qi ▁Army ▁Division ▁ ▁On ▁ 7 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁N ouri ▁al - Mal iki ▁signed ▁a ▁document ▁taking ▁control ▁of ▁Ira q ' s ▁small ▁naval ▁and ▁air ▁forces ▁and ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁Ira qi ▁Army ▁Division , ▁based ▁in ▁the ▁south . ▁At ▁a ▁ceremony ▁mark ing ▁the ▁occasion , ▁Gen . ▁George ▁Case y , ▁the ▁top ▁U . S . ▁commander ▁in ▁Ira q ▁stated ▁" From ▁today ▁forward , ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁military ▁respons ib ilities ▁will ▁be ▁increasing ly ▁conce ived ▁and ▁led ▁by ▁Ira q is ." ▁Pre viously , ▁the ▁U . S .- led ▁Multi - National ▁Force ▁– ▁Ira q , ▁commanded ▁by ▁Case y , ▁gave ▁orders ▁to ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁armed ▁forces ▁through ▁a ▁joint ▁American - I ra qi ▁headquarters ▁and ▁chain ▁of ▁command . ▁After ▁the ▁hand over , ▁the ▁chain ▁of ▁command ▁flows ▁directly ▁from ▁the ▁prime ▁minister ▁in ▁his ▁role ▁as ▁Ira qi ▁commander ▁in ▁chief , ▁through ▁his ▁Def ense ▁Ministry ▁to ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁J oint ▁Forces ▁Command . ▁From ▁there , ▁the ▁orders ▁go ▁to ▁Ira qi ▁units ▁on ▁the ▁ground . ▁The ▁other ▁nine