Iran, Not al-Sadr, Leading Shi'a Attacks In Iraq March 26, 2008 Threat Watch threatswatch.org As Shi’a militias and armed groups strike out at US and Iraqi targets from Baghdad to Basra, it is curious to note how many news reports attribute the attacks to Muqtada al-Sadr, either directly or indirectly. Rocket attacks on the U.S.-protected Green Zone may carry a message with implications across Iraq: rising anger within the Mahdi Army militia.The Shiite fighters led by anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr are reorganizing their ranks, taking delivery of new weapons from Iran and ramping up complaints about crackdowns by U.S. and Iraqi forces that could unravel the Mahdi Army’s self-declared cease-fire, according to militia commanders.But Muqtada al-Sadr was sidelined from any command by Iran weeks ago. There are no attributions of direct quotes, commands or comment from Muqtada since the Shi’a militia uprising began in earnest. And there is a very simple explanation for this: The puppet has had his strings cut. Iran is calling the shots. The fact that his note exists is far more important than its specific wording. “So far I did not succeed either to liberate Iraq or make it an Islamic society — whether because of my own inability or the inability of society, only God knows,” Sadr wrote.“The continued presence of the occupiers, on the one hand, and the disobedience of many on the other, pushed me to isolate myself in protest. I gave society a big proportion of my life. Even my body became weaker, I got more sicknesses.”In reality, the continued presence of his Iranian masters pushed him to isolate himself. Iran has changed other leadership positions and oriented other terrorist groups toward field operational leadership and away from political leadership. The IRGC commander was changed. Hizballah’s military command was stripped from Nasrallah and handed to sheikh Naim Qasim in the Bekaa Valley. And Hamas is effectively run by al-Qassam Brigades military commander Ahmed Jabari in Gaza, not Khalid Meshaal in Damascus nor Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza City.As such, the militarily incompetent Muqtada al-Sadr has been yanked from control of the Mahdi Army. We are seeing the natural and intended progression of this change in Iraq today.The shelling of the ‘Green Zone’ (or International Zone) in Baghdad in coordination with attacks throughout southern Iraq from Basra to Baghdad are not a reaction to an al-Sadr decision any more than they are the effects of his military leadership and command. They are the fruits of Iranian labor.The rockets used in the Green Zone attacks “were Iranian-provided, Iranian-made rockets,” General Petraeus said. Can we dismiss this from the most successful US commander in Iraq since the conflict began? Further, is it wise to also dismiss the trend of Iranian command changes across the board to operational ground commanders? And, is it wise to forget that Muqtada al-Sadr announced his seclusion and withdrawal from command (at the behest of his Iranian masters)?In order to minimize or dismiss Iran’s guiding hand in the fighting in Iraq, one must do all of these things. And this is completely illogical. Completely.Yet, so desperate some seem to avoid any conflict with Iran, they ignore that fact that Iran has already chosen the conflict, whether we like it or not.It is an ‘Inconvenient Truth.’
The most senior US general in Iraq has said he has evidence that Iran was behind Sunday's bombardment of Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone. Gen David Petraeus told the BBC he thought Tehran had trained, equipped and funded insurgents who fired the barrage of mortars and rockets.
Cheney Disputes Iran's Nuclear Goals BEIRUT -- Vice President Dick Cheney charged in an interview released Tuesday that Iran is trying to develop weapons-grade uranium, though international inspectors and U.S. intelligence services have not found evidence of such an effort
Senator Hails U.S. Ban on UK Firm that Sold to Iran WASHINGTON -- The head of the Senate Banking Committee on Monday hailed a Commerce Department decision to suspend the export privileges of a British company that had illegally shipped three U.S.-made aircraft to Iran and was preparing to send it three more.
Let's be clear. This is an administration that claims the right to go to war on the merest suspicion that some evil foreign entity might attack Americans at some time in some way. This is an administration that has already acted on this deranged--but oh-so-war-profitable--"national defense strategy." An administration that specifically named Iran as a dire threat in the most recent version of this official strategy.
Today, Gen. David Petraeus and Amb. Ryan Crocker presented plans to President Bush recommending that troop levels in Iraq "remain nearly the same through 2008 as at any time during five years of war." The New York Times reports that it "now appears likely that any decision on major reductions in American troops from Iraq will be left to the next president."
Of all the stories told on the 5th anniversary of the Iraq War, there is one important episode that took place during the build-up to the conflict that has gone largely unreported. On Friday 31 January 2003 a request from the US government for an intelligence "surge" at the UN. The aim, according to the email, was to give the US "the edge" in negotiations for a crucial resolution to give authorisation for an illegal Iraq war
The gangs all here: Rummy, Wolfy, Rice, Powell, Armitage, Clarke, Cheney, Bush, Rove, and the other Iraq Neocon Chickhawk Criminals of War. Watch online here.
Newsweek reports that the same Pentagon report that has essentially disproved an Iraq-al Qaeda link also calls into question the 1993 plot (to assassinate former president George H. W. Bush while in Kuwait) which spurred former President Bill Clinton to launch a Tomahawk cruise-missle strike against Saddam's Iraqi Intelligence Service, may be another tenuous allegation made against Saddam by current President George W. Bush.
Story Highlights : U.S. military says January increase in bombs believed linked to Iran - Devices are known as EFPs (explosively formed penetrators) - Gen. Petraeus: EFPs increased by a factor of two or three over last 10 days - Bush administration, military say Iran arming, training Iraqi insurgents - Read
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait (CNN) -- Attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq with bombs believed linked to Iran -- known as explosively formed penetrators (EFPs) -- have risen sharply in January after several months of decline, according to the top U.S. commander in Iraq. Explosively formed penetrators are more sophisticated and deadlier than typical improvised explosive devices. Iraqi and U.S. officials indicated just a month ago that Iran was using its influence to improve security in Iraq by restraining cross-border weapons flow and militia activity. The U.S. military had said in recent months that the number of EFP attacks had gone down. Gen. David Petraeus disclosed the reversal to reporters after a meeting with President Bush who was visiting troops in Kuwait. "In this year, EFPs have gone up, actually, over the last 10 days by a factor of two or three, and frankly we're trying to determine why that might be," Petraeus said. Petraeus did not say how many American troops have been killed or wounded by EFPs in recent days. The U.S. military announced nine troop deaths from bombings in the first 11 days of January, but the death announcements did not specify if EFPs were involved. EFPs are more sophisticated and deadlier than the typical improvised explosive devices (IED) used by insurgents as roadside bombs to attack convoys and foot patrols until last year. EFPs use components manufactured in Iran and militants are trained in Iran to use them, the U.S. military has said.President Bush, in remarks to reporters in Kuwait, said: "Iran must stop supporting the militia special groups that attack Iraqi and coalition forces, and kidnap and kill Iraqi officials."The Bush administration and the military have long maintained that Iranian agents, particularly the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps -- have been arming and training Iraqi insurgents. E-mail to a friend
Bush Lauds Mideast Democracy, Rips Iran : President Says Iran Is Threatening Security Of World : January 13, 2008 ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- President George W. Bush said Sunday that Iran is threatening the security of the world, and that the United States and Arab allies must join together to confront the danger "before it's too late." Bush said Iran funds terrorist extremists, undermines peace in Lebanon, sends arms to the Taliban, seeks to intimidate its neighbors with alarming rhetoric, defies the United Nations and destabilizes the entire region by refusing to be open about its nuclear program. "Iran is the world's leading state sponsor of terror," Bush said in a speech he delivered about mid-way through his eight-day Mideast trip that began with a renewed push for an Israeli-Palestinian peace pact - an accord he said whose "time has come." "Iran's actions threaten the security of nations everywhere," Bush said. "So the United States is strengthening our long-standing security commitments with our friends in the Gulf, and rallying friends around the world to confront this danger before it is too late." Bush lauded democratic reforms in Gulf nations ruled by authoritarian leaders. "This new era is being built with the understanding that power is a trust that must be exercised with the consent of the governed," Bush said. Bush spoke at the Emirates Palace, at an opulent, gold-trimmed hotel where a suite goes for $2,450 a night. Built at a cost of $3 billion, the hotel is a kilometer long from end to end and has a 1.3 kilometer white sand beach -- every grain of it imported from Algeria, according to Steven Pike, a spokesman at the U.S. Embassy here. Half the audience was dressed in western attire and the other half in Arabic clothes -- white robes and headdresses for men and black abayas, many with jeweled edges, for women.
Bush urges Iran regime to heed people's will
by Laurent Lozano
ABU DHABI (AFP) - US President George W. Bush reached out to the Iranian people Sunday in the keynote address of a Middle East tour, telling them they had a right to live under a government "that listens to your wishes". In the wide-ranging speech in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi, Bush hit out at the Tehran regime across the Gulf saying that it was "today the world's leading state sponsor of terror" and, with Al-Qaeda, the main threat to the region's stability. The US president also addressed Israelis and Palestinians telling the former that peace with their Arab neighbours was the best guarantee of security and the latter that they should "reject the terrorists who pose the greatest threat to a Palestinian state." The United Arab Emirates is Iran's main trading partner with up to 10,000 Iranian firms operating in its commercial hub of Dubai and Bush's intention to use the platform to speak out against the Tehran regime had been well trailed. "To the people of Iran, you're rich in culture and talent. You have the right to live under a government that listens to your wishes, respects your talents and allows you to build better lives for your families," he said."Unfortunately your government denies you these opportunities and threatens the peace and stability of your neighbours."So we call on the regime in Tehran to heed your will, and to make itself accountable to you."The day will come when the people of Iran have a government that embraces liberty and justice and Iran joins the community of free nations. When that good day comes you will have no better friend than the United States of America."The Middle East tour which Bush began in Israel on Wednesday has been overshadowed by renewed tensions with Tehran following a face-off between Iranian and US naval vessels in the entrance to the Gulf earlier this month.Washington has since repeatedly warned Tehran that its commanders are authorised to use force in self-defence if necessary and Bush has stepped up his rhetoric against the Iranian regime."Iran's actions threaten the security of nations everywhere," the US president said in Abu Dhabi."It seeks to intimidate its neighbours with missiles and bellicose rhetoric."But in an embarrassing climbown that was gleefully seized on by Tehran, the Pentagon admitted that a sound recording it had released of a voice threatening to blow up the US vessels may not have emanated from the Iranian vessels. The Navy Times reported that US naval experts now believe the threatening voice may have been that of a local heckler known as the "Filipino Monkey" who frequently interrupts ship-to-ship radio traffic with insulting interventions. Tehran accused Washington on Sunday of distorting the incident "to fool the region" during Bush's visit and called on US officials to apologise. "They tried to bring it up at the same time as Bush was travelling to the region to paint Iran in a bad light. But their plans fell flat," foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said.Bush also used his speech in Abu Dhabi to urge Israelis and Palestinians to have faith in the renewed peace negotiations launched in Annapolis outside Washington in November and to shun the alternative of armed struggle and war."To the Palestinian people, the dignity and sovereignty that is your right is within your reach," said Bush, who after a first visit to the Holy Land as president last week, said he is "very hopeful" a final peace deal can be reached before he leaves office in January. "Oppose the extremists and terrorists who represent the greatest threat to a Palestinian state. The United States will help you build the institutions of democracy and prosperity and make your dreams of a state come true. "To the people of Israel, you know that peace and reconciliation with your neighbours is the best path to long term security. We believe that peace is possible, though it requires tough decisions." Bush also renewed his call for reform in the Middle East pointing to the example of Japan after World War II where he said a thriving democracy had been built without affecting indigenous culture or religion, despite the strong opposition of supporters of an absolute emperor. He listed a string of Arab countries which had held elections in recent years. Even in the United Arab Emirates, indirect elections to an advisory federal council, which are the only polls to have been held so far, were the "first step in a wider reform," he said.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in secret Iraq talks with US : Marie Colvin
THE HEAD of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps slipped into the green zone of Baghdad last month to press Tehran’s hardline position over the terms of the current talks with American officials, it was claimed last week. Iraqi government sources say that Major-General Mohammed Ali Jafari, 50, travelled secretly from Tehran. Jafari appears to have passed through checkpoints on his way into the fortified enclave that contains the American embassy and Iraqi ministries, even though he is on Washington’s “most wanted” list. Last year Washington declared the guard a “foreign terrorist organisation” and imposed sanctions on it. One of the accusations that led to the designation was the charge that the Quds Force, a branch of the guard, was supplying rockets, mortars and roadside bombs known as explosively formed projectiles (EFPs) to Shi’ite militias in Iraq. In recent days there has been a sharp increase in the use of such bombs against American troops, and last weekend five Iranian speedboats were said to have harassed three American Navy ships, radioing a threat to blow them up. On his tour of the Middle East yesterday President George W Bush put Tehran on notice over its support for the insurgency in Iraq. “Iran’s role in fomenting violence has been exposed,” he said in Kuwait. Iran and the United States have held three rounds of talks over security in Iraq. They have made little progress so far but are considered a breakthrough because they are the first face-to-face encounters since 1980. At the insistence of the Americans, the talks between Ryan Crocker, the American ambassador to Iraq, and Hassan Kazemi Qomi, his Iranian counterpart, have been kept to the issue of security in Iraq. But Tehran wants them broadened to include the release of Iranian diplomats being held in Baghdad by the Americans. It is understood Jafari was sent to Baghdad to ensure that this happened. Video: The Hormuz clash
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (CBS) ― President Bush said Sunday that Iran is threatening the security of the world, and that the United States and Arab allies must join together to confront the danger "before it's too late." Bush said Iran funds terrorist extremists, undermines peace in Lebanon, sends arms to the Taliban, seeks to intimidate its neighbors with alarming rhetoric, defies the United Nations and destabilizes the entire region by refusing to be open about its nuclear program. "Iran is the world's leading state sponsor of terror," Bush said in a speech he delivered about mid-way through his eight-day Mideast trip that began with a renewed push for an Israeli-Palestinian peace pact - an accord he said whose "time has come." Chiding U.S. allies who have withheld civil liberties, Bush said governments will never build trust by harassing or imprisoning candidates and protesters. But his rebuke was general, and he did not single out any U.S. partner in the region for oppressive practices. "You cannot expect people to believe in the promise of a better future when they are jailed for peacefully petitioning their government," Bush said. "And you cannot stand up a modern, confident nation when you do not allow people to voice their legitimate criticisms." Bush gave the speech on democracy in one of the few countries in the region - the Emirates - where democracy has not been a vital issue, but virtually ignored. In other countries in the region, especially Egypt, the fight between democracy activists and autocratic governments has been much more pointed and controversial. He called on the Palestinians to reject extremists, although he did not mention the Islamic radical group Hamas, which has gained control of the Gaza Strip. And he said the Iranian government in Tehran should make itself accountable to its people. "Iran's actions threaten the security of nations everywhere," Bush said. "So the United States is strengthening our long-standing security commitments with our friends in the Gulf, and rallying friends around the world to confront this danger before it is too late." On Oct. 25, 2007, the Bush administration announced sweeping new sanctions against Iran — the harshest since the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in 1979 - again charging that Tehran supports terrorism in the Middle East, exports missiles and is engaging in a nuclear build up. The measures target the Revolutionary Guard Corps and a number of banks and are designed, among other things, to punish Tehran for its support of terrorist organizations in Iraq and the Middle East.Bush spoke at the Emirates Palace, at an opulent, gold-trimmed hotel where a suite goes for $2,450 a night. Built at a cost of $3 billion, the hotel is a kilometer long from end to end and has a 1.3 kilometer white sand beach - every grain of it imported from Algeria, according to Steven Pike, a spokesman at the U.S. Embassy here. Half the audience was dressed in western attire and the other half in Arabic clothes - white robes and headdresses for men and black abayas, many with jeweled edges, for women. Bush said advancing democracy and freedom is the core of his administration's foreign policy and critical to U.S. security. "The United States has no desire for territory. We seek our shared security in your liberty. We believe that stability can only come through a free and just Middle East where the extremists are marginalized," the president said. He noted democratic reform in Iraq. "You have made your choice for democracy and have stood firm," Bush said, speaking to the Iraqi people. "The terrorists and extremists cannot prevail." Making an equally direct appeal to the Palestinians, Bush said "The dignity and sovereignty that is your right is within your reach." In renewing his "Freedom Agenda" - Bush's grand ambition to seed democracy around the globe - he declared that "democracy is the only form of government that treats individuals with the dignity and equality that is their right." "We know from experience that democracy is the only system of government that yields lasting peace and stability," he added. Yet he was speaking about democracy in a deeply undemocratic country, the Emirates, where an elite of royal rulers makes virtually all the decisions. Large numbers of foreign resident workers have few legal or human rights, including no right to citizenship and no right to protest working conditions. Some human rights groups have accused the Emirates of tolerating virtual indentured servitude, where workers from poor countries like Sri Lanka are forced to work to pay off debts to employers, and have their passports seized so they can't leave. Officials in Abu Dhabi and the neighboring emirate of Dubai have said they are taking slow and gradual steps toward reform, both democratic and in labor rights. In the country's first-ever elections in late 2006, the government hand-picked a group of voters to cast ballots to choose members of a government advisory panel. But there is little clamor for elections in a wealthy country whose citizens are a privileged minority with access to free housing and lucrative government jobs. Many here say the galloping economy is evidence the government has done a good job.
The U.S. military commander in Iraq stepped up accusations over the weekend that Iran was stoking violence in Iraq and said Tehran's ambassador to Baghdad was a member of the Revolutionary Guards Qods force. Washington accuses the force, the elite unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, of inciting bloodshed in Iraq and of training and equipping militias who have attacked U.S. troops. General David Petraeus, speaking at a U.S. military base about 30 km (20 miles) from the Iranian border on Saturday, said Iran was giving advanced weaponry to militias in Iraq. Reed the rest here - http://iranvajahan.net/cgi-bin/news.pl?l=en&y=2007&m=10&d=07&a=1
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Gen. David Petraeus told Congress on Monday he envisions the withdrawal of roughly 30,000 U.S. troops by next summer, beginning with a Marine contingent later this month. In long-awaited testimony, the commanding general of the war said last winter's buildup in U.S. troops had met its military objectives "in large measure."As a result, he told a congressional hearing and a nationwide television audience, "I believe that we will be able to reduce our forces to the pre-surge level ... by next summer without jeopardizing the security gains we have fought so hard to achieve."
Testifying in a military uniform bearing four general's stars and a chestful of medals, Petraeus said he had already provided his views to the military chain of command. Rebutting charges that he was merely doing the White House's bidding, he said firmly, "I wrote this testimony myself. It has not been cleared by nor shared with anyone in the Pentagon, the White House or the Congress."His testimony came at a politically pivotal moment in the war, with the Democratic-controlled Congress pressing for a troop withdrawal deadline and the Bush administration hoping to prevent wholesale Republican defections on the issue. Petraeus said that a unit of about 2,000 Marines will depart Iraq later this month, beginning a drawdown that would be followed in mid-December with the departure of an Army brigade numbering 3,500 to 4,000 soldiers. After that, another four brigades would be withdrawn by July 2008, he said. That would leave the United States with about 130,000 troops in Iraq, roughly the number stationed there last winter when President Bush decided to dispatch additional forces. He said he believes withdrawals could continue even after the 30,000 extra troops go home, but added that it would be premature to make any further recommendations. Initial reaction from Democrats was sour. Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was a "token withdrawal," and Petraeus rebutted him swiftly. "A very substantial withdrawal," he countered. Petraeus didn't say so, but Ambassador Ryan Crocker strongly suggested the administration's troop buildup had prevented a debacle. Testifying alongside the general, Crocker said 2006 was a "bad year for Iraq. The country came close to unraveling politically, economically and in security terms. 2007 has brought improvement." The extent of any improvement has been a matter of debate. The Government Accountability Office, a congressional agency, recently reported that Iraq has partially achieved only four of 18 political and military goals. An administration report earlier this summer showed mixed results, as well. While Petraeus focused his remarks mostly on military matters, he also noted the failure thus far of the Iraqi government to take the actions needed to stabilize the country for the long term. "Lack of adequate governmental capacity, lingering sectarian mistrust, and various forms of corruption add to Iraq's challenges," he said. Using 13 pages of colorful charts, Petraeus conceded that the military gains have been uneven in the months since Bush ordered the buildup last winter. But he also said that there has been an overall decline in violence and said, "the level of security incidents has declined in eight of the past 12 weeks, with the level of incidents in the past two weeks the lowest since June of 2006." Petraeus also said the Iraqi military is slowly gaining competence and gradually "taking on more responsibility for their security." He cited Anbar province as an example of Iraqis turning against terrorists, adding, "we are seeing similar actions in other locations as well." Bush and his political allies have worked forcefully in recent weeks to shore up Republican support. One organization with ties to the administration has spent millions on television advertisements, and Bush traveled to Anbar province last week to highlight improved security in the vast western stretches of Iraq. Bush also called Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in the hours before Petraeus spoke, and is expected to deliver a nationwide address on the war in the next few days. Despite the administration's efforts, fresh polls reflected significant public opposition to the war. A USA Today-Gallup poll taken in the past few days found that 60 percent of those surveyed favor setting a timetable for removing troops. Only 35 percent favor keeping the troops in Iraq until the situation improves. In Iraq, a poll conducted by ABC News, Britain's BBC and Japan's public broadcaster NHK, found 47 percent want American forces and their coalition allies to leave the country immediately, a jump of 12 percentage points from March. A total of 57 percent of Iraqis said they consider attacks on coalition forces acceptable. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker were the only witnesses at a nationally televised hearing punctuated by numerous protests by anti-war demonstrators. Over and over, Rep. Ike Skelton, the Missouri Democrat presiding, ordered police to remove the demonstrators. "This is intolerable," he said at one point. Skelton and fellow lawmakers spoke first, as is customary in Congress, and Petraeus listened to more than 45 minutes of political rhetoric. His testimony was delayed another 10 minutes by a malfunctioning microphone, but when he began to speak, the lawmakers arrayed on the dais across from him listened intently. Crocker followed Petraeus to the microphone, and employed some of the most stark rhetoric of the hearing. Saying al-Qaida had "overplayed its hand" in Anbar province, he said, "Anbaris began to reject its excesses, be they beheading school children or cutting off people's fingers for smoking." Skelton, a moderate midwesterner and chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, welcomed Petraeus to hearing with wistful words of praise. Petraeus is "almost certainly the right man for the job in Iraq, but he's the right person three years too late and 250,000 troops short," he said. Petraeus and Crocker listened quietly at the witness table as Skelton called on them to "tell us why we should continue sending our young men and women to fight and die if the Iraqis won't make the tough sacrifices leading to reconciliation." "Are we merely beating a dead horse?" the congressman asked. The war is in its fifth year, and has claimed the lives of more than 3,700 U.S. troops. Petraeus' greeting elsewhere wasn't nearly as warm as Skelton's praise. "Cooking the books for the White House," charged the newspaper advertisement by MoveOn.Org - an allegation that Republicans swiftly challenged Democrats to disavow. "These childish tactics are an insult to everyone fighting for our freedom in Iraq, and they should be condemned," said Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader. Nearly two dozen senators, all Republicans except for Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, called for Democrats to denounce the advertisement. The appearance of Petraeus, more than Crocker, took on outsized importance. As both the architect and the commander of last winter's shift in strategy, he has won praise from lawmakers in both parties, and opinion polls show he has more credibility with the public on the war than Bush. Democrats have been critical of Petraeus, but not nearly as scathing - or as personal - as the MoveOn advertisement. "General Petraeus or General Betray Us?" it asked, a wordplay on his name. Petraeus: Partial Troop Withdrawal Possible Military, Civilian Deaths by Province Baghdad's courthouse, tribunal, prison, staff living quarters Ft. Campbell soldiers prepare for deployments Muqtada al-Sadr Timeline IEDs: Insurgents' Weapon of Choice Army Looks for New Ways to Keep Soldiers Cool in Iraq A Look at the U.S. Military's Attack Drone The Toll: Coalition Casualties Since March 2003 Coalition Casualties Latest photos from Iraq National Intelligence Estimate: Aug. 23, 2007 Benchmark Assessment Report: July 12, 2007 Executive Summary: DOD Inspector General on Pre-Iraq War Intelligence Activities(2/9/2007) Unclassified National Intelligence Estimate Summary on Iraq (2/2/2007) Inspector General Report on Iraq Reconstruction (1/31/2007) General eyes troop reduction in Iraq AP Poll: Most say Iraq war is failure Petraeus talks of troop withdrawal Poll: Iraqis say US troops not helping Ornate room for Petraeus hearings
WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 — Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top American commander in Iraq, has told President Bush that he wants to maintain heightened troop levels in Iraq well into next year to reduce the risk of military setbacks, but could accept the pullback of roughly 4,000 troops beginning in January, in part to assuage critics in Congress, according to senior administration and military officials. General Petraeus’s view is considered overly cautious by some other senior military officials and some members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, officials said. But they said it reflected his concern that the security gains made so far in Baghdad, Anbar Province and other areas were fragile and easily reversed. Beyond the gesture of pulling back one brigade, officials who have been involved in the preparation of General Petraeus’s Congressional testimony to be delivered next week say he will discuss the possibility of far deeper withdrawals beyond January that, over a number of months, could bring American force levels down to about 130,000 troops, where they stood at the beginning of 2007. But they said it was unclear how specific the general would be in publicly discussing the timing of pullbacks, and they said that even in internal administration deliberations he had described conditions that must be met before a reduction. White House officials said Thursday night that Mr. Bush had yet to make any final decisions about the recommendations. But General Petraeus’s apparent agreement to a small withdrawal beginning early next year could fit into a narrow consensus that is beginning to emerge on Capitol Hill. Many Republicans and Democrats agree that some troop withdrawal should begin soon, though major disagreements remain about how quick and deep the subsequent withdrawals should be. General Petraeus “is worried about risk, and all things being equal he’d like to keep as much as he could for as long as he could,” a senior military officer said. General Petraeus returned unannounced to Washington late on Tuesday, officials said, to prepare for the testimony he will deliver beginning Monday. It will be paired with a political assessment of the Maliki government delivered by Ryan C. Crocker, the American ambassador to Iraq. Several officials involved in internal discussions about the testimony said that both General Petraeus and Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the ground commander in Iraq, were worried about signing on to a timetable that would commit them to steep withdrawals in the spring. In recent weeks, the ground commanders have said they need the option to halt any pullback if security conditions deteriorate. With more than 160,000 American troops now in Iraq, the withdrawal in January of one brigade, roughly 3,500 to 4,500 troops, would not amount to a large drain on General Petraeus’s forces. Mr. Bush has indicated to aides that he will be likely to embrace the outlines of General Petraeus’s recommendations, after declaring publicly that he will rely for advice on his ground commanders, rather than bowing to political pressure from those in Congress who are pushing for a speedier withdrawal.Still, some members of the Joint Chiefs, including the outgoing chairman, Gen. Peter Pace, and senior officers at Central Command, which has overall responsibility for the Middle East, are said to be pushing for a faster drawdown of the 30,000 additional American troops sent to Iraq. Several officers involved said Adm. William J. Fallon, the head of Central Command, had joined in that effort because he was worried about having enough forces in reserve to handle contingencies elsewhere, presumably including any future confrontation with Iran. Admiral Fallon is also said to believe that giving the Iraqi government a clearer sense that the American troop commitment is limited will help prompt the Iraqis to take steps aimed at achieving reconciliation among Iraq’s warring sectarian factions. The slow progress of the Iraqi forces dominated debate on Capitol Hill on Thursday as Gen. James L. Jones, the retired supreme American commander in Europe, reported to Congress that it would be 12 to 18 months before the Iraqi forces were capable of operations independent of American assistance. But General Jones also said he could envision a pullback of the American forces starting early next year.An embrace by the White House of a plan to take a combat brigade off the front lines could help to ease pressure from Republican lawmakers, including Senator John W. Warner of Virginia, who have called for a visible gesture to show that the White House is changing course.Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has told colleagues privately that he would like to see a withdrawal of some troops as a Christmas gesture to the troops this year and an effort to lower the heat of the political debate in the United States. Such a gesture could also open the way to forging some common ground with Democrats. In recent days, some Senate Democratic leaders have indicated a willingness to drop their insistence on a strict timetable for withdrawal. Instead, the Democratic senators are now discussing legislation that might set nonbinding goals for the completion of a drawdown that would shift most remaining American forces into support roles. Still, the White House is nowhere close to committing to the deep reductions being discussed by Democrats and some Republicans, which would extend beyond the additional five combat brigades that Mr. Bush sent to Iraq. Some have endorsed a recommendation by the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan advisory panel, which called in late 2006 for a pullback of all combat brigades by the end of March 2008.There are now some 20 American combat brigades in Iraq. Administration officials have signaled that even the most aggressive drawdown being contemplated by the White House would leave at least 10 combat brigades in Iraq by the end of 2008, down from the 15 in place before the troop increase began. Concern about the strain on the force is said to be driving General Pace and Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the Army chief of staff, who are said to favor that aggressive administration plan. Another key voice in the debate could be Mr. Gates, who told reporters during a visit to Iraq with Mr. Bush earlier this week that he had formulated an opinion about troop adjustments. Mr. Gates declined to reveal it publicly, but Mr. Gates has long hoped to use the September review to forge a consensus of members of Congress on how to proceed in Iraq, a goal that may require accepting deeper troop reductions sooner than General Petraeus wants. A spokesman for General Petraeus, Lt. Col. Joseph Yoswa, declined to comment on the coming testimony.
Gen. David Petraeus, says the "surge" in U.S. troops in Iraq is proving effective, particularly against Al-Qaida-in-Iraq and Shiite militias. Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, U.S. ambassador to Iraq, briefed members of Congress by satellite Thursday. Hear a story about Crocker's testimony. More from the Interview : Petraeus talks to Michele Norris about the readiness of Iraqi forces. Listen to Norris, Petraeus
Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, says the "surge" in U.S. troops has achieved success, particularly against Al-Qaida-in-Iraq insurgents in Anbar province west of Baghdad. Petraeus says the military's most difficult challenge is dealing with sectarian conflicts in the neighborhoods of Baghdad. After he addressed dozens of lawmakers invited to a closed-door, video-conference at the Pentagon Thursday morning, Petraeus spoke with Michele Norris. What did you tell the members of Congress? Essentially that the surge of forces has now turned into a surge of offensive operations, and it began about a month ago, and that that has achieved tactical momentum, success in a number of areas against the Al-Qaida-in-Iraq elements, some success as well against the Iranian-supported Shia extremist militia elements, and a new development in recent months, which is the support of Iraqi people and sheikhs in a number of areas in opposition to al-Qaida, which is something that has helped our effort considerably, especially in Anbar province to the west of Baghdad, which you'll recall was a very, very tough neighborhood for a number of years. You were talking about success in some areas, but there is a bit of confusion right now about how to measure overall progress in Iraq. [Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, another top U.S. commander in Iraq], at a briefing Thursday said he needs until November to provide what he calls "a good assessment" about how things are going in Iraq, and if it's true that you can't get a good assessment until November, what is it that you're planning to do in September? What I have said all along is that we would have a reasonable sense by September, basically, of how the new strategy is going. And I think that that will be the case. In fact, he and I sat down earlier this morning and were sort of reviewing how we're doing and so forth, and this is a case of, one month into the surge of offensive operations, feeling that we have a degree of momentum, and trying to determine how to maintain and to build on that momentum, and also how to address some other challenges that we have not yet really come to grips with. So how should people view that September report? You've downplayed it in the past, but the president and others in Washington are putting quite a bit of stock in this. They're saying, just wait until David Petraeus makes his report before we do anything. It's like the policy clock has stopped running until we actually see that report. Are people incorrect in their thinking that this is some sort of trigger that will determine whether or how the U.S. will be engaged in Iraq in the long term? I think it's important, and what I have always maintained is that [U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker,] and I will provide as comprehensive and forthright an assessment as we can of the progress that has been achieved to that time, and also identify where there have been shortcomings. And it may be that, at some point along here, I'll have enough of a sense of things to offer some recommendations on the future through my chain of command to President Bush. On All Things Considered Wednesday, Colin Powell told us that in his view, by the middle of next year, it will be near impossible to maintain the current troop levels in Iraq because of the strain of multiple deployments, not only in Iraq but also in Afghanistan. Do you agree with his assessment? I do, actually. I mean, this has always been the case. There has always been a sense that the surge would be something that — it would be more than just temporary, if you will. It would be a sustained increase in forces but that obviously at some point, the surge has to end. And it may be that over time we'll do some redefinition of our missions as well. By the way, Gen. Odierno and I put out to the soldiers and sailors, airmen and Marines here that we see no extension beyond 15 months for any of the forces on the ground. We're keenly aware of the strain that has been placed on the services, and it is one of many operational considerations that will eventually guide recommendations that I make through the chain of command to the president. A simple question that many in America are now wrestling with: Who is the enemy and what is the U.S. fighting for? The enemy is extremism, we think, and it is extremism that comes in various forms. Al-Qaida-in-Iraq is a very significant target to us. We see it as the most important near-term threat, because it is the source of the most horrific casualty-producing attacks in Iraq, the attacks that are intended to reignite the horrific sectarian violence that ripped the fabric of society in Baghdad and Iraq in late 2006 through 2007 and still is at play, certainly. There are also, certainly, Sunni extremists beyond al-Qaida, and then there are certainly Shia extremist elements — the most worrisome [being] those associated with Iranian-sponsored groups that sprung from the Sadr militia movement.When you survey Iraq with your commanders, what is the specific problem or the place that you see that most troubles you and that, in your view, most threatens ultimate success in Iraq?I think it is probably neighborhoods in Baghdad — actually, neighborhoods through which the sectarian fault lines run. And there are not just big fault lines; there are micro fault lines, and our commanders have really learned an extraordinary amount about this. And they're trying, in a sense, first to sit on these fault lines, literally, with their forces and Iraqi forces, and then to try to stabilize them and then to try to revive them because wherever these fault lines are, there is enormous fear, and markets have shut, banks have closed, basic services are not provided, the streets aren't clean and so forth, and so those are the most challenging of areas. We've tried to reduce the sectarian violence and have achieved some success in that. And can you sustain that over the long term? You put your finger on the biggest issue, and it's the word sustainable, and in fact, it's something that we talk about with the commanders fairly frequently. In fact, we had a police summit [Wednesday] where the various police commanders and coalition commanders who are in Baghdad briefed the [Iraqi] minister of interior and myself on the way ahead for the police, because you have to have local men helping to maintain local security, and in a number of neighborhoods in Baghdad, that is not the case — the ones about which we are most concerned and where, in fact, the focus of our combat and our stability operations is found. It seems like a day doesn't go by where we don't hear President Bush say, "Just wait until Gen. David Petraeus makes his report." There's so much pressure building to this status report that you're going to deliver in the fall. You are known as a man who has steely resolve, but I'm just wondering, what kind of pressure do you feel right now?I feel another rock put in my rucksack every time I hear that. Well, obviously, I mean, this is the toughest thing that any of us have ever been involved in, and it's both an enormous privilege to soldier again with our great young men and women over here and to lead them, but needless to say, there's a pretty huge sense of responsibility that goes along with that. Having said that, I mean, you just put the rucksack on and move out and try to do the best you can.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A new approach by American-led forces in Iraq is producing "breathtaking" improvements in security in some areas, says Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in the country, but al Qaeda in Iraq remains well-entrenched in some Baghdad neighborhoods.In an exclusive interview with CNN, Petraeus said the situation in Anbar, the restive Sunni province west of the Iraqi capital, has been "truly transformed in recent months, as the Anbaris and the tribes have decided to oppose al Qaeda and fight with the coalition forces against them.""What's taken place in Anbar is almost breathtaking," he said. "In the last several months, tribes that turned a blind eye to what al Qaeda was doing in that province are now opposing al Qaeda very vigorously. And the level of violence in Anbar has plummeted; although there clearly is still work to be done. (Watch a CNN exclusive interview with Petraeus as he discusses Iraq)"Our strategy has always been with this new approach to determine who are the reconcilables and to separate them from the irreconcilables, the extremists," he said. (Watch how some Iraqi insurgents are turning on al Qaeda in Iraq militants)But the picture is not consistent, Petraeus said, and the increase in U.S. forces had been more effective in some areas than others.Tough work remains to be done in Diyala province north of Baghdad, and al Qaeda remains able to use neighborhoods around the capital to build and dispatch car bombs, he said.He also acknowledged that after a substantial reduction in sectarian killings in the capital between January and April, the deaths have risen again in May.The general's visit to the CNN office in Baghdad was unannounced. He said he had been visiting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari nearby, and together they'd decided to take a walk in a part of Baghdad that is well-protected. He said it was the minister's idea to knock on CNN's door.Petraeus said all elements connected to the increase in U.S. forces will be on the ground within two weeks, including a Marine expeditionary unit and combat aviation brigade moving toward Baghdad from Kuwait.Asked about the infiltration of the Iraqi police by militias, Petraeus said elements of Interior Ministry forces during 2006 were "hijacked by certain militia interests in particular." "Some of those undoubtedly remain within the force," he said. "And as we identify those individuals, and we have, and we then take action with the Ministry of Interior against them."
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