Posted on 06/07/2007 12:18:42 PM PDT by tobyhill
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A new approach by American-led forces in Iraq is producing "breathtaking" improvements in security in some areas, says Lt. 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.
"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.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Bet it hurts CNN to report good news.
Good News!
From CNN??? Please recheck the source.
I had to do a triple take before I posted just to make sure.
LOL. The editors must be on vacation.
The Shi'ite led government is unlikely to control the security since they are Iranian pawns.
Video here:
General Petraeus on Status in Iraq (CNN Interview)
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2007/06/general_petraeu.html
ping
What a pathetically accurate statement...not that they are losing but that there is a cabal involving the dims, some of our pubbies, the media and terrorists.
The Surge is Working
At this rate Al Queda is going to have to redeploy to DC to find safe haven.
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
As pointed out to you repeatedly, your opinions are not facts. Please quit posting your opinions as statements of fact. As the data shows your Dinocon dogma are not only ignorant but incorrect as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Iraq http://icasualties.org/oif/
Looks as though things are back on track after that Mosque bombing (Samura?)(sp?)
That set off sectarian violence that slowed things down.
PETRAEUS: That is correct. The fifth of the five surge brigades and the marine expeditionary unit and the combat aviation brigade are still positioning themselves in Iraq as we speak, or moving up from Kuwait. And again, they’ll all be in position and actually in operations in less than two weeks.
Hummm.
NO! NO! NO! NO!
We're Losing and the Troops are Winning!!!
Prime Minister Maliki is weak like Prime Minister Olmert of Israel.
Maliki begs for American troops to stay in the country while he doesn't have the guts to go after Iranian backed militias led by Sadr.
That's why at this point we are better off being allied with Sunni tribes in the Anbar Province. Things are changing there for the better dramatically.
We're getting nowhere with the Shi'ites, and we would be better off just giving Basra and Baghdad to our enemy, Iran.
By the end of this year the whole world will realize that AMERICA WON THE WAR and that AL QAEDA HAS BEEN TOTALLY DEFEATED.
God bless our troops and President Bush.
God bless America.
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