[Petraeus Interview] Excerpts: 'This Is Not a Light Switch'

The Wall Street Journal ^ | November 21, 2007 | Yochi Dreazen

[Aristotelian]

Petraeus on al Qaeda, U.S. Progress in Iraq, Troop Reductions and Relations With Iran

Below are edited excerpts of the discussion Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, had Tuesday with Wall Street Journal reporter Yochi Dreazen. (See related article.)

* * *

On Al Qaeda in Iraq:

At some point there has to be a sign to the people that security is enabling the beginnings of a better life, which obviously garners their support for the security effort. I do think there has been a pretty substantial recognition among Sunni Arabs, in particular, that al Qaeda Iraq is not for them. They have looked at it as they did not it in the past. In the past they saw it as synonymous with resistance. They now look at it as what it is -- a Taliban-like extremist terrorist movement. They don't subscribe to the ultra-extremist form of religion that it embraces, and they have turned away from it.

* * *

On Progress:

Over time, it all just accumulates. This is not a light switch. You don't go from bad to good. You go from bad to less bad. And then you revert again. Progress accumulates over time. You can build on momentum as it is established. As shops get back into business … and some services … .

* * *

On Troop Reductions:

We want to maintain the gains that have been made and in fact to build on them. And that means as our forces are thinned out -- and that's the way to of it, rather than just sort of wholesale pulling out of the area. . . .

There's no magic formula or template. You're going to look at each area and the security threats which are much more than al Qaeda.

[Aristotelian]

I do think there has been a pretty substantial recognition among Sunni Arabs, in particular, that al Qaeda Iraq is not for them.

Al Qaeda has lost in Iraq. The Iraqi people aren't going to do a U-turn on them. They have seen what al Qaeda is all about and reject it. Iraq could indeed become the hub of the anti-al Qaeda movement in the Middle East. That would be historic -- and great news for our own security.

[Aristotelian]

Related article at http://online.wsj.com/public/us

[AFPhys]

Correct.

I am increasingly optimistic with each month. The most needed item left outstanding now is a “George Washington al Iraqi” and “Thomas Jefferson al Iraqi” to arise and palpably take on the mantle of leadership. When that comes to pass, we’ll know it’s gonna be all right.