Posted on 04/08/2008 1:27:36 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
WASHINGTON -- Arguing for a continuing U.S. troop presence, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus told Congress today that the recent flare-up of violence across Iraq demonstrates that recent security improvements are "fragile and reversible."
The top U.S. commander said that troop reductions begun in December should continue through July, but that withdrawals should halt after that for at least 45 days. Petraeus said that further cuts would depend on progress in security, leading Democrats to charge that that Petraeus was calling for an open-ended U.S. presence.
Petraeus said after completion of planned troop reductions in July, the 45-day delay would allow a period of "consolidation and evaluation." After that, he said, officials would begin a process to determine when to issue new recommendations on further troop withdrawals.
Petraeus said there would be no timetable for further troop cuts.
"Withdrawing too many forces too quickly could jeopardize the progress of the last year," Petraeus said.
Progress since September has been significant but uneven, Petraeus said. Despite recent fighting and violence in Basra and elsewhere, including deadly attacks on Baghdad's heavily fortified "green zone," Petraeus argued that violence has continued to decline since his last report in September and was "significantly better" than when the U.S. troop buildup began in January 2007.
Petraeus appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee with Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, the top American diplomat in Baghdad, to give his second major public update on the course of the Iraq war.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
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His recommendation for a "pause" in troop reductions this summer was expected, and pointed to the likelihood of large numbers of U.S. troops in Iraq through the end of the Bush administration next year.
General Resists Timetable for Withdrawal of Troops in Iraq
AND from the Washington Post:
The security situation remained in flux, General Petraeus said, in part because of the “destructive role Iran has played,” and he said that “special groups” of Shiite radicals supported from Tehran posed the greatest immediate threat to security. Ambassador Crocker added, “Iran has a choice to make.”
Gen. Petraeus's Opening Remarks on Iraq -- Addresses the Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing
And if Iran doesn't make it, I hope the U.S. makes it for them.
Trying to set up a link from Hot Air for the Charts...
Charts to accompany the testimony of
GEN David H. Petraeus
McCain: There are numerous threats to security in Iraq and the future of Iraq. Do you still view Al Qaeda in Iraq as a major threat?Meanwhile, Huffington Post praised Senator Evan Bayh's questioning as the "highlight of the hearing," but neglected to notice Bayh's own lapse of taking Pakistan to be an Arab country, in this exchange with Ambassador Ryan Crocker:Petraeus: It is still a major threat, though it is certainly not as major a threat as it was say 15 months ago.
McCain: Certainly not an obscure sect of the Shiites overall? Petraeus: No, no sir.
McCain: Or Sunnis or anybody else then? Al Qaeda continues to try to assert themselves in Mosul, is that correct?
BAYH: The Afghanistan and Pakistan are subjects for another day but since this is all tied up in the global effort against extremism and terror, as you know, things have not been going as well as we would hope in Afghanistan. And it is true we're not going to have troops in Pakistan. Still, our resources are finite and they do have an impact. Some might look at this and say why are we devoting five times the amount of resources to a place that at this time is not the principal threat?CROCKER: In part, Senator, to be sure that it doesn't become that. I noted in my testimony that Osama bin Laden fairly recently referred to Iraq as the perfect base for al Qaeda and it is a reminder that for al Qaeda, having a safe base on Arab soil is extremely important today. They got close to that in '06.
BAYH: They apparently have one now in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
The Charts are outstanding!
60's hippies, those Democrats. They want to micro-manage the war effort like their Congressional soul-mates did with Vietnam. Of course, we should leave the decision of when to withdraw to the generals in the field, but NO, we can't have THAT, can we?
Thanks for adding those excerpts.
Really amazing progress.
Is voinavich panting to be obamas vp or what?
Haven’t been able to seen anything since CSPAN cut away.
C-span is still being shown in my Atlanta area. He said that the American people have had it up to here and they want out. That was a few minutes ago. Lisa Murkowski is getting her turn now.
Every time I check it, I get house proceedings...but I only am entitled to see one channel ...bless Time Warner....
I'd kill a million Iraqis just to bring one US soldier back from the dead. Conversely, I'd kill a million of them just to prevent the death of the next soldier to die. Without that attitude of total victory through overwhelming force, and unbridled ability to use it, all we are doing is playing kindergarten cop for a bunch of subhuman animals who will jump on the first chance they get to resume their millennium-plus old feud. I just don't want any more of our people in the way.
Thanks E.
Tragedy for Democrats: Thanks to Gen. Petraeus, Victory Is Achievable in Iraq
North Star Writers Group | April 8, 2008 | Dan Calabrese
Posted on 04/08/2008 5:07:57 AM PDT by Invisigoth
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1998365/posts
Iranian Agents Directed Operations in Basra
Weekly Standard | April 7, 2008 10:36 A | Bill Roggio
Posted on 04/08/2008 10:10:46 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1998521/posts?page=6#6
Religious leaders tell al-Sadr to keep militia intact
CNN
Posted on 04/07/2008 7:08:37 PM PDT by james500
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1998253/posts
-but-
Sadr did not refer dissolving al-Mahdi army to top Shiite clerics
aswataliraq | Apr 7, 2008 | Najaf - Voices of Iraq
Posted on 04/08/2008 10:05:10 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1998517/posts
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