Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Media: The Associated Press
Byline: By ROBERT BURNS
Date: 26 August 2006
WASHINGTON_The presence of several thousand extra U.S. troops in Baghdad in
recent weeks has shown that sectarian violence can be quelled by force of
arms, but those gains will be lost unless the Iraqi government learns how to
reconcile rival religious sects, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said
Friday.
"There ... is no question but that you can go in and clear out an area and
achieve a reduction in violence, and the test is not that," Rumsfeld told
reporters in a joint appearance at the Pentagon with Iraq's deputy
president, Adil Abdul-Mahdi.
"The test is what happens thereafter, and the important thing is for the
Iraqi government to achieve success with respect to its reconciliation
process," Rumsfeld said. "It's important that they deal with the militia
issue."
U.S. commanders sent an additional 5,500 U.S. troops into Baghdad this month
from elsewhere in Iraq to conduct security sweeps, after an initial Iraqi
crackdown failed to reduce the level of violence.
Rumsfeld said he had a long telephone conversation Friday morning with Gen.
John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, and Gen. George
Casey, the top commander in Iraq, about events in Baghdad.
He said those talks reinforced his impression that since late July the extra
efforts in Baghdad "have been successful in the sense that we're seeing a
reduction in the levels of violence and in the numbers of attacks."
Rumsfeld was asked by a reporter whether the success thus far in reducing
sectarian killings in Baghdad proves the broader argument that a bigger U.S.
force throughout Iraq would stabilize the country faster. Rumsfeld has
argued against increasing the size of the force, saying it needs to be large
enough to achieve its purposes but not so large that it creates an Iraqi
dependency on U.S. help.
Referring to progress in reducing violence in Baghdad, Rumsfeld said it is
apparent that a bigger U.S. force "does do it, for a period." He added:
"What is important is for the Iraqi people and the Iraqi security forces and
the Iraqi government, ultimately, to deal with this problem."
Abdul-Mahdi told reporters he has been pleased by the gains against
sectarian violence in Baghdad in recent weeks.
"Baghdad is a key issue, and this is our response, our answer to all of
those talking about civil war in Iraq," Abdul-Mahdi said. "We don't think we
are leading to one."
The deputy president said he also met with President George W. Bush and Vice
President Dick Cheney.
Byline: By ROBERT BURNS
Date: 26 August 2006
WASHINGTON_The presence of several thousand extra U.S. troops in Baghdad in
recent weeks has shown that sectarian violence can be quelled by force of
arms, but those gains will be lost unless the Iraqi government learns how to
reconcile rival religious sects, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said
Friday.
"There ... is no question but that you can go in and clear out an area and
achieve a reduction in violence, and the test is not that," Rumsfeld told
reporters in a joint appearance at the Pentagon with Iraq's deputy
president, Adil Abdul-Mahdi.
"The test is what happens thereafter, and the important thing is for the
Iraqi government to achieve success with respect to its reconciliation
process," Rumsfeld said. "It's important that they deal with the militia
issue."
U.S. commanders sent an additional 5,500 U.S. troops into Baghdad this month
from elsewhere in Iraq to conduct security sweeps, after an initial Iraqi
crackdown failed to reduce the level of violence.
Rumsfeld said he had a long telephone conversation Friday morning with Gen.
John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, and Gen. George
Casey, the top commander in Iraq, about events in Baghdad.
He said those talks reinforced his impression that since late July the extra
efforts in Baghdad "have been successful in the sense that we're seeing a
reduction in the levels of violence and in the numbers of attacks."
Rumsfeld was asked by a reporter whether the success thus far in reducing
sectarian killings in Baghdad proves the broader argument that a bigger U.S.
force throughout Iraq would stabilize the country faster. Rumsfeld has
argued against increasing the size of the force, saying it needs to be large
enough to achieve its purposes but not so large that it creates an Iraqi
dependency on U.S. help.
Referring to progress in reducing violence in Baghdad, Rumsfeld said it is
apparent that a bigger U.S. force "does do it, for a period." He added:
"What is important is for the Iraqi people and the Iraqi security forces and
the Iraqi government, ultimately, to deal with this problem."
Abdul-Mahdi told reporters he has been pleased by the gains against
sectarian violence in Baghdad in recent weeks.
"Baghdad is a key issue, and this is our response, our answer to all of
those talking about civil war in Iraq," Abdul-Mahdi said. "We don't think we
are leading to one."
The deputy president said he also met with President George W. Bush and Vice
President Dick Cheney.