Posted on 08/22/2006 12:34:26 PM PDT by george76
The level of violence in Baghdad has fallen sharply since July thanks to troop reinforcements and the new government's efforts to reconcile warring Shi'ites and Sunnis, Iraq's national security adviser said on Tuesday.
Mowaffaq al-Rubaie insisted that the sectarian and insurgent bloodshed that has seized Iraq was not a civil war, a description U.S. President George W. Bush's administration has strenuously avoided in the face of mounting casualties.
"This is absolutely not a civil war," Rubaie told Reuters in an interview during a visit to Japan.
"Al Qaeda tried for that for three years and failed miserably. But it has created a crack between Shias and Sunnis."
He said Iraq had made big strides towards establishing effective security forces of its own, and was aiming to build its army from 138,000 now to 150,000-160,000 by the end of this year.
However, while Iraqi security forces are currently conducting over 60 percent of operations themselves, they still rely on the U.S.-led coalition forces for back-up and intelligence.
"We are running under fire, trying to do up our laces," he said. "We're almost there but this is an intelligence-led war, not a classic war."
The security adviser earlier met Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso in Tokyo to build Iraq's strategic and economic relationship with Japan, seeking in particular Japanese investment in the oil industry and help with management training.
(Excerpt) Read more at asia.news.yahoo.com ...
.
Betcha don't see this piece on the NBC Nightly News.
I am surprised this got past the Reuter's editors.
The old media will never cover this.
say it isn't so....
Democrats deeply saddened.
Do not tell Murtha.
Those Freepers who argue that the Republicans deserve to lose this year's election haven't fully comprehended that a Dem. return to majority in the House will mean that Pelosi becomes Speaker, Charlie Rangel becomes chair of the House Ways and Means Comm. (controlling legislation regarding taxes), that John Conyers becomes chair of the House Judiciary Comm. (hello impeachment!), and that Murtha becomes chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Defense budget.
He's so delusional, he wouldn't believe you anyway.
Good news!
"Fallen sharply".
Oh I hope so. But even if it fell to less than D.C., would it be reported?
Today at the general store inthe tiny werst Texas town I live in, am Army recruiter dropped in a left Army caps, T-shirt and posters --- I think for sale.
A guy standing at the check out looked at them and said "Just wants to get more kids killed in Iraq."
The women checking him out said, "I wouldn't want MY kid to go to Iraq."
It was depressing. The media is really getting to people -- ordinary people. It was a bummer, hearing that.
werst = west.
Check this out! They are all morons!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1688057/posts?page=49#49
Hey, it's a war zone. If your kid is there in the Marines as part of an attack unit and was about to be sent home, but instead goes to Baghdad, you have a right to feel fear and disappointment.
I am taking the "good news" with a grain of salt. Of course the sectarian violence will fall sharply with closing off sections of the city and US troop presence. But how major is the whack-a-mole effect and will the militia violence just spring back?
That may sound high, but not when you compare it to places like Colombia (61.7), South Africa (49.6), Jamaica (32.4), and Venezuela (31.6).
How about the violent death rates in American cities?
New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina was 53.1
FBI statistics for 2004-05 have
Washington at 45.9
Baltimore at 37.7
Atlanta at 34.9
http://www.nysun.com/article/32787?page_no=2
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.