Thread: Archive Latest News - Think Tank - 16/08/07 - 03/11/07

US troop surge can end by mid-2008, general says - 3rd Update

The United States could withdraw enough troops from Iraq by next summer to reverse this year's buildup ordered by President George W Bush, the top US commander in Iraq said Monday. In a highly anticipated report to Congress, General David Petraeus cited improved security in Iraq in proposing that the troop surge, aimed at quelling sectarian violence, could end by mid-July 2008.

"The military objectives of the surge are in large measure being met," Petraeus told a hearing in the US House of Representatives.

Bush's expansion of US forces in Iraq, announced in January, boosted troop strength from about 130,000 to more than 160,000.

US and Iraqi forces have "dealt significant blows" to al-Qaeda operations in Iraq and violent attacks in the last two weeks have dropped to the lowest in more than a year, Petraeus said.

"Though al-Qaeda and its affiliates remain dangerous, we have taken away a number of their sanctuaries and gained the initiative in many areas," he said.

Petraeus' testimony will be crucial in shaping the debate on the unpopular war in Iraq amid growing calls from Democratic members of Congress to begin troop withdrawals.

He appeared with the US ambassador in Iraq, Ryan Crocker, before the House military and foreign policy committees as part of a congressionally-mandated report. Petraeus will submit his assessment to the White House later this week.

The two Democratic chairmen presiding over the hearing, Representatives Ike Skelton and Tom Lantos, were sceptical that Iraq can be turned around with a government that has made little progress toward reconciling differences between Iraqi ethnic and religious groups.

"No one can make the case the that Iraqi government has made great strides," Skelton said before Petraeus testified.

But Petraeus said Iraqi forces were increasingly providing for the country's security and cited dramatic progress in Anbar province, where local Sunni leaders have allied with US forces in combatting al-Qaeda.

"Based on all this, and on the further progress we believe we can achieve over the next few months, I believe that we will be able to reduce our forces to the pre-surge level of brigade combat teams by next summer without jeopardizing the security gains that we have fought so hard to achieve," Petraeus said.

Two units deployed as part of the surge are slated to leave Iraq by December, while four other brigades and two Marine battalions could leave by July 2008, bringing forces back to pre-surge levels, he said.

Skelton had several protesters ejected from the hearing. One of them screeched as she was hustled out; another held up a sign, "When generals lie, soldiers die."

Petraeus emphasized that his testimony was based on his own judgement and was not cleared by the White House. In the week before his testimony, Petraeus was greeted in Washington by charges that he would announce conclusions to serve Bush's political needs.

MoveOn.org, a left-wing group, ran a full-page advertisement in the New York Times accusing him of betraying the American people by not speaking truthfully about the conflict. Monday's ad made a play on his name, "General Betray-US."

Republicans criticized the organization and Democrats for questioning Petraeus' integrity.

"I think it's an outrage that we spent the last week prepping the ground, bashing the credibility of a general officer whose trademark is integrity," Representative Duncan Hunter, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said.

Bush's troop surge has produced some security improvements in parts of Iraq - an achievement highly touted by the Bush administration. But hoped-for political progress among Iraqi factions has been elusive.

White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters Monday the report by Petraeus and Crocker was independent and had not been vetted by Bush.

US troop surge can end by mid-2008, general says - 3rd Update : US World

Petraeus offers drawdown schedule

The drawdown of the U.S. combat troops in Iraq to pre-surge level could begin this month, U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus told two U.S. congressional panels.

Among his recommendations are ones that would return a U.S. Marine brigade to the United States in September and would pull an Army brigade by the end of the year, Petraeus, the U.S. troop commander in Iraq, told a joint meeting of House of Representatives committees on Foreign Affairs and Military Services during a hearing on the situation in Iraq.

Based on recent events, Petraeus said U.S. combat troops could be drawn down to pre-surge levels by mid-July 2008. Four other brigades would be reassigned and their surge positions not filled.

Projecting further drawdowns beyond mid-July would be "premature," he said.

Petraeus offers drawdown schedule : US World

INL legislator says mediated between Americans, Baathists to boost political process

Baghdad, 10 September 2007 (Voices of Iraq)

Iyad Jamal al-Din, a member of parliament from the Iraqi National List (INL) bloc, said he mediated between U.S. officials and Baathists belonging to former Iraqi vice president Ezzat al-Dori to boost the political process.

"They were several meetings that took place inside and outside Iraq," Jamal al-Din, who belongs to former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's INL, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

He said the meetings "were convened in Arab countries." He declined to name those Arab countries or say when those meetings were held.

"The meetings or negotiations were not meant against the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. On the contrary, they were supporting it and would be of benefit to the country's political process," he said.

He pointed out that the Baathists, or members of the former ruling Baath (Resurrection) Party, "objected the law on debaathification and the Americans spoke to them about means to push forward the political process."

Allawi had said he met secretly with representatives from the dissolved Baath Party's Ezzat al-Dori wing with the aim of arranging their return to Iraq and participate in the political process.

"The dialogue has taken place upon the request of the United States, which was represented by high-ranking officials in those meetings. The discussions focused on how to merge the Baath Party members into the political process," Allawi said in a televised interview by the all-news Dubai-based al-Arabiya satellite channel.

INL legislator says mediated between Americans, Baathists to boost political process | Iraq Updates

Iran unwilling to help Iraq, US ambassador says

Iran has failed to take steps to help the security of Iraq de****e pledging to do so in public statements, the US ambassador to Iraq said Monday. Ryan Crocker, who has twice met with his Iranian counterpart in Baghdad this year seeking Iran's cooperation to halt the violence and end support for militant groups in Iraq, said Tehran has shown little interest in following through on its commitments.

"The impression I came with after a couple rounds is that the Iranians were interested simply in the appearance of discussions, of being seen to be at the table with the US as an arbiter of Iraq's present and future, rather than actually doing serious business," Crocker said.

"I haven't seen any sign of earnest or seriousness on the Iranian side," Crocker added in crucial congressional testimony on the security and political environment in Iraq.

Crocker appeared with General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq.

The United States accuses Iran of providing weapons and training to militants in Iraq responsible for attacks on US troops.

Iran unwilling to help Iraq, US ambassador says : Middle East World

FM urges neighbors to back Iraq "in good faith"

Baghdad, 10 September 2007 (Voices of Iraq)

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zibari appealed to neighboring countries to back Iraq "seriously and in good faith," and to adopt clear-cut commitments in line with the current developments.

"One of the most prominent things realized in Iraq was the response to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's dialogue and national reconciliation initiative and the calls for stopping armed operations and merging into the country's political process in order to have a prosperous, free, united, independent and federal Iraq," Zibari said in his speech before the 2nd Iraq's Neighboring Countries Conference, currently in session in Baghdad.

The Iraqi top diplomat also called for having lengthy discussions on the forthcoming expanded meeting of foreign ministers of neighboring countries, scheduled to be held in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

"Discussions have to practically back the Iraqi government's efforts to impose security and stability all over the countries in a way sparing Iraqi citizens any acts of terror or security vacuum," said Zibari.

The conference, attended by representatives of more than 19 states and organizations, was inaugurated by Maliki earlier on Sunday.

In his inaugural speech Maliki stressed that his government "is resolved to regain security and uproot terrorism in the country," adding "the Iraqi government is making progress in all fields and is working to invest the country's riches properly."

The Iraqi premier was severely criticized by U.S. officials and congressmen on the stalled progress towards passing what they described as "essential draft laws for achieving national reconciliation and wealth sharing."

Maliki expressed his government's keenness on overcoming the challenges posed by what he branded as "forces of evil, terrorism, gunmen and militias."

"The Iraqi government is re-building the country's economy after the damage caused by the 1991 invasion of neighboring Kuwait," he said.

The conference was scheduled to be attended by 22 states and organizations.

FM urges neighbors to back Iraq "in good faith" | Iraq Updates

Crocker: 'Seeds of reconciliation' planted

The U.S. ambassador to Iraq told U.S. congressional committee members Monday he believed achieving U.S. directives in Iraq are attainable.

"I cannot guarantee success in Iraq," Ambassador Ryan Crocker said in his opening remarks to a joint hearing by the U.S. House of Representatives committees on Foreign Affairs and Military Services.

Iraq's economic performance is "under potential," Crocker said in his opening remarks to his assessment of political progress in Iraq but two initiatives to create employment in the public and private sectors were under development.

Outside Iraq's borders, he said, Syria and Iran still are troubling. Syria is worrisome, he said, because suicide bombers move through its borders. Iran is playing a "harmful role" by supplying arms to extremists.

But, Saudi Arabia was planning to open an embassy in Baghdad, he said.

Speaking of reconciliation, Crocker said some of the issues of what Iraq would look like in the future were tied to its past of sectarian divisiveness were tied.

The debates, he said, "are akin to those surrounding" the civil rights and states rights debates in the United States.

"The seeds of reconciliation are being planted," he said.

Crocker: 'Seeds of reconciliation' planted : US World

General recommends partial pull-out from Iraq - Summary

The United States could reverse its 30,000- strong troop buildup in Iraq by next summer, the top US commander said Monday, citing security gains since the start of this year. In a highly anticipated report to Congress, General David Petraeus proposedthat the troop surge, ordered by President George W Bush to quell sectarian violence in Iraq, could end by mid-July 2008.

"The military objectives of the surge are in large measure being met," Petraeus told a hearing in the US House of Representatives. A "premature" force reduction could be "devastating," he said.

Bush in January announced a boost in US troop strength from about 130,000 to more than 160,000. He has urged Americans to give the surge time to work and has portrayed Petraeus' report as crucial to the future US course in Iraq.

The general's two days of testimony will shape the debate on the unpopular war amid growing calls from Democratic members of Congress to begin troop withdrawals.

Petraeus said US and Iraqi forces have "dealt significant blows" to al-Qaeda operations in Iraq and violent attacks in the last two weeks have dropped to the lowest in more than a year.

"Though al-Qaeda and its affiliates remain dangerous, we have taken away a number of their sanctuaries and gained the initiative in many areas," he said.

Petraeus and the US ambassador in Iraq, Ryan Crocker, appeared before the House military and foreign policy committees as part of a congressionally-mandated report. Petraeus will submit his assessment to the White House later this week.

The two Democratic chairmen presiding over the hearing, Representatives Ike Skelton and Tom Lantos, were sceptical that Iraq can be turned around with a government that has made little progress toward reconciling differences between Iraqi ethnic and religious groups.

"Prime Minister Maliki and the Iraqi politicians need to know that the free ride is over and that American troops will not be party to their civil war," Lantos said.

Crocker, a seasoned diplomat who has headed the Baghdad embassy since March, acknowledged that progress is slow.

"The American people are frustrated. I am frustrated every day I spend in Iraq on the lack of progress on legislative initiatives. Iraqis themselves are frustrated," he told the hearing.

Still, Petraeus said Iraqi forces were increasingly providing for the country's security and cited dramatic progress in Anbar province, where local Sunni leaders have allied with US forces in combatting al-Qaeda.

Violent deaths among Iraqi civilians have fallen by more than 45 per cent since the peak of sectarian violence in December 2006, and ethnic killings are down by more than 55 per cent, he said.

"Based on all this, and on the further progress we believe we can achieve over the next few months, I believe that we will be able to reduce our forces to the pre-surge level of brigade combat teams by next summer without jeopardizing the security gains that we have fought so hard to achieve," Petraeus said.

Two units deployed as part of the surge are slated to leave Iraq by December, while four other brigades and two Marine battalions could leave by July 2008, bringing forces back to pre-surge levels, he said.

Iran, which the US accuses of providing weapons and training to militants who attack US troops, remains a disruptive force in Iraq de****e limited US-Iranian talks this year, both men said.

"I haven't seen any sign of earnest or seriousness on the Iranian side," Crocker said.

Skelton had several protesters ejected from the hearing. One of them screeched as she was hustled out; another held up a sign, "When generals lie, soldiers die."

Petraeus emphasized that his testimony was based on his own judgement and was not cleared by the White House. In the week before his testimony, Petraeus was greeted in Washington by charges that he would announce conclusions to serve Bush's political needs.

MoveOn.org, a left-wing group, ran a full-page advertisement in the New York Times accusing him of betraying the American people by not speaking truthfully about the conflict, making a play on his name, "General Betray-US."

Republicans criticized the organization and Democrats for questioning Petraeus' integrity.

"I think it's an outrage that we spent the last week prepping the ground, bashing the credibility of a general officer whose trademark is integrity," Representative Duncan Hunter, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said.

Crocker told lawmakers that the Shiite-controlled Iraqi government has taken steps to reconcile differences with their Sunni rivals even though it has yet to pass legislation aimed at assisting the process.

The government has reached out to Sunni soldiers who were expelled from the military during the US administration of Iraq after the March 2003 invasion by offering retirement benefits or civilian jobs.

Political progress by the Iraqi government is seen as crucial if violence is to be reduced, and Democratic lawmakers have charged that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has failed to take adequate steps.

Crocker cautioned lawmakers to be more patient as the Iraqi government seeks to tackle difficult challenges, emphasizing that decades of rule by Saddam Hussein meant Iraq had to be rebuilt from "scratch."

"This process will not be quick. It will be uneven (and) punctuated by setbacks as well as achievements," Crocker said.

White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters Monday the report by Petraeus and Crocker was independent and had not been vetted by Bush, who is expected to address the nation this week to discuss Petraeus' findings.

General recommends partial pull-out from Iraq - Summary : US World

‘Britain stayed in Basra longer because of US’

LONDON - Britain was prepared to withdraw its forces from the southern Iraqi city of Basra in April, but held off for five months after the United States asked it to stay, Britain’s military commander in Iraq said in an interview published on Monday.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Brigadier James Bashall, commander of 1 Mechanised Brigade, said that he wanted to leave Britain’s Basra Palace base in April, something he said would have been “the right thing to do."

“In April we could have come out and done the transition completely and that would have been the right thing to do but politics prevented that,” Bashall, 44, told the paper.

“The Americans asked us to stay for longer,” he said, adding the decision to stay in the city was a result of “political strategy being played out at highest level.”

On Monday, around 500 British soldiers slipped out of the former Saddam Hussein palace, handing over security to Iraqi forces and leaving behind a city in the grip of a brutal militia turf war.

The British military has now handed over four of the five bases in the Basra province to Iraqi forces, after four and a half inconclusive years of fighting since the US-led March 2003 invasion.

Britain’s entire military force of 5,500 troops is now based at Basra’s desert air base, 11 kilometres (seven miles) west of Basra city.
Of those 5,500, about 250 will be withdrawn over the next four weeks as part of a plan to reduce overall troop numbers there to about 5,000.

Responding to Bashall’s interview, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement: “The decision to hand over Basra Palace was part of a conditions-based transition, developed in consultation with the Iraqi government and our coalition partners.”

“We were able to hand over the Palace because of progress made and capability demonstrated, by the Iraqi Security Forces, particularly the Army. We handed Basra Palace over this month only when the conditions were right and the Iraqi forces were ready to take over.

“The government of Iraq decided in May it wanted to keep Basra Palace, and it then took time to form and train the Iraqi Palace Protection Force to the point that it could take over Basra Palace."

Khaleej Times Online - ‘Britain stayed in Basra longer because of US’=

US ambassador to Iraq says country needs a "Mandela"

Iraq's political reconciliation is seriously handicapped by the lack of an Iraqi personality such as South Africa's Nelson Mandela, a top US diplomat said Monday.

In long-awaited testimony before the US Congress, the US ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, described the 'animosity and suspicions' which have fed violent insecurity in Iraq over the past 18 months.

During the decades of oppression by the late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, and in the aftermath since his ouster in 2003, 'no Nelson Mandela emerged,' Crocker noted, adding he 'would not have survived.'

The former apartheid government in South Africa imprisoned Mandela for 27 years, but he was released in 1990 to oversee one of the most successful political transformations in world history.

During his presidency from 1994 to 2000, Mandela led the reconciliation efforts to restrain black majority anger against the minority whites who had oppressed them. Much of the process was supported by Bishop Desmond Tutu's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

In Iraq, long-oppressed majority Shiites are now in control of the government, and minority Sunnis who were once in charge complain that they are left out of the new power structure. Sunnis are blamed for carrying out the violent insurgency that makes day-to-day life dangerous in Iraq.

One sceptical Democratic congressman, Tom Lantos, on Monday worried that the United States was funding both sides of Iraq's 'religious civil war' by arming and funding Sunni tribes in places like Anbar.

'Instead of acting as a leader for Iraq as a whole, (Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-) Maliki has operated as a front man for Shiite partisans and presided over a Shiite coalition that includes ... notorious ... death squads and sectarian thugs,' Lantos charged.

US ambassador to Iraq says country needs a "Mandela" - Middle East

PM hints at forming partnership government instead of national unity

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki criticized some political parties participating in the Iraqi government, saying that their role does not cope with the concept of the national unity government.

He urged the parliament and the government to review the concept of forming the national unity government and forming a majority government instead of it.

The premier's statements came during his word delivered before the Iraqi parliament.

Al-Maliki refused to allow reporters to attend the session and allowed only to the state-run al-Iraqiya satellite television to air the parliament's session.

He blamed continued objections made by some participating parties in the government for the failure of the national unity government.

"The national unity government's main focus should be the constitution and the signed agreements," he affirmed.

The withdrawal of a number of political blocs: the Sunni Iraqi Accordance Front (IAF), the secular Iraqi National List (INL) and the Shiite Sadrists, from Maliki's cabinet caused a big dilemma to the entire political process.

"We should establish a partnership government instead of a national unity government which does not abide by rules of the national unity," the premier also said.

Speaking about the quintuple deal singed a few weeks ago by the parties to the four-way agreement plus the Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party, he described it as a "second step on the road to effectuating the political process and refreshing state institutions' performance in different fields."

He admitted that a stagnant situation faced the political process after the withdrawal of some political blocs.

Maliki attended Monday's session upon an invitation extended by parliament last week
Maliki was supposed to hold his weekly news briefing on Monday but it was cancelled due to his scheduled appearance before parliament today.

Aswat Aliraq