[Alberta's Child]

The US is supporting the duly elected government of Iraq resist the efforts of a relatively small group of extremists from overthrowing it.

That's exactly my point.

I might add, the Iraqi security forces, military and police, have lost three times the number of KIAs than we have since the beginning of 2005.

Right. It's their country, after all -- isn't it?

[kabar]

My point is that we are not doing it alone or instead of the Iraqis. We are assisting the 317,000 military and police we have trained. Our present role is not a permanent one. We have been gradually transferring security responsibilities to the Iraqis for more than a year. Maliliki wants to take over complete security responsibilities by the end of the year. We shall see.