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WASHINGTON D.C. (April 9, 2008) - The Iraqi government wants to
establish itself as an independent entity that one day can stand on
its own feet without U.S. assistance, the top U.S. military officer
in Iraq testified before the House Armed Services Committee here
today.
"They want to do that as much as we do," Army Gen. David H.
Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, told House panel
members.
Senior Iraqi governmental leaders are placing themselves "under
enormous personal pressure and collective pressure of the various
political elements in Iraq to increasingly exercise their
sovereignty," Petraeus said.
In fact, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's recent decision to
send Iraqi troops into Basra and other parts of southern Iraq to
put down violence perpetrated by illegal militias represents the
Iraqis' desire to attend to their internal affairs, Petraeus
pointed out.
"That was not something that we pushed him to do," Petraeus
said. "That was something that they wanted to do."
United States military forces are supporting Iraqi government
operations aimed at defeating insurgents and criminals who seek to
destabilize the country for their own purposes, Petraeus said.
Assisting the new Iraqi government is like teaching a young
child how to ride a bicycle, Petraeus observed, noting the United
States is "trying to support it as much as we can, while keeping as
light a hand on the bicycle seat as possible."
Several Iraqi provinces, like Basra province in the south, where
some outbreaks of violence occurred recently, contain few U.S.
military forces or even none at all, Petraeus pointed out.
"In the bulk of those southern provinces, Iraqi forces proved up
to the task," the four-star general said.
The United States is reducing its troop presence in Iraq,
Petraeus said, noting 15 brigades will remain in Iraq after the
surge forces are redeployed at the end of July. Asked if U.S. troop
strength in Iraq could be further reduced after July, Petraeus
responded that he and other senior U.S. commanders plan to review
security and local governance conditions.
"We are thinning out very substantially right now," Petraeus
remarked, noting the impending departure of the surge forces will
reduce the U.S. military footprint in Iraq by one-quarter. Petraeus
said he can foresee possible additional U.S. force reductions in
Iraq beyond the remaining 15 brigades.
"We have a number of months and a number of substantial actions
to take before then, but we already are identifying areas that we
think are likely candidates for [additional troop reductions],"
Petraeus said.
Iraq also is achieving economic progress, U.S. Ambassador to
Iraq Ryan C. Crocker, who accompanied Petraeus at the hearing,
reported to panel members.
"The Council of Ministers yesterday passed a support program for
development in Mosul, Baghdad and Basra," Crocker said, noting the
legislative package contains $350 million for reconstruction and
job creation in those areas.
Economic development in Iraq "is an ongoing process," Crocker
said, noting the country suffers from both unemployment and
underemployment.
"In conditions of better security, you are going to see more
economic activity," Crocker predicted.
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