Iraq's security 'remarkably better' ( Joint Chiefs chairman hints at drawdown )

Washington Times ^ | Thursday, July 17, 2008 | Rowan Scarborough (Contact)

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The nation's top military officer Wednesday declared the security situation in Iraq "remarkably better," so good in fact that he expects to recommend more U.S. troop reductions this fall if conditions hold.

Just back from a tour of two war fronts - Iraq and the Afghanistan-Pakistan region - Adm. Michael G. Mullen said he expected to witness improvements in Baghdad and across Iraq, but was surprised by how well a 17-month-old U.S. troop surge has worked.

"I won't go so far as to say that progress in Iraq, from a military perspective, has reached a tipping point or it is irreversible," Adm. Mullen, the Joint Chiefs chairman, said at a press conference with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates. "But security is unquestionably and remarkably better."

The last of five reinforcement combat brigades have left Iraq, leaving behind 15 such units. Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top commander in Iraq, a key architect of the February 2007 surge and recently confirmed by the Senate to lead U.S. Central Command, has called for several months of assessment before deciding whether to reduce troop levels below about 145,000.

Photo at the Web site

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gave a positive review of the security situation in Iraq on Wednesday, but were less optimistic in their assessment of Afghanistan. (Getty Images)

But Adm. Mullen's statement that "I expect to be able early in the fall to recommend to the secretary and to the president further troop reductions" is a clear signal that top commanders in Iraq think a continued drawdown is warranted.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Related thread:

Totten: The War in Iraq is "All But Over"

[NormsRevenge]

BumP it Up!

Is there a war in Iraq? wouldn’t know it from the coverage. The news is The Messiah will visit Iraq soon.

[avacado]

It wasn't just the surge that worked but also that President Bush, Commander in Chief, loosened the rules of engagement which allowed our forces to kick some serious butt! Butt kicking, no holds barred, is what made the insurgency, in part, want to switch sides and join the mightiest military on the planet Earth!

No one likes being on the losing side.

[the_devils_advocate_666]

I’ve been kind of wondering myself exactly what classifies as a “war” these days?

[avacado]

"The news is The Messiah will visit Iraq soon."

I hope our troops let him eat at the table alone just like they did to John "Traitor" Kerry.

[Enchante]

Obamessiah will arrive in Iraq just in time to declare victory and announce that this was his secret plan for winning the WOT all along. The trick to being a ‘flexible’ Demagogue in the midst of “moving to the center” is to brazenly take credit for anything good that happens and blame opponents for anything bad that happens.... no matter what the facts may be.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

See post #15 at the link above...post # 2!

[PGalt]

Great news and OUTSTANDING post at #15 at the “Totten” thread. BUMP-TO-THE-TRUTH!

[Bear_Slayer]

I'm sure a majority of the troops will be home by fall. It's in the best interest of the election nation

It's why the GOP is full of as much shit as the dems.

It's all bullshit politics.

We need a fresh start.

[Allegra]

I've been back nearly a week. This is definitely a different place from the one I left in April and the one I had gotten to know over the past few years.

The focus has changed from fighing to rebuilding. Oh, the fighting isn't over, but it has abated considerably as the security situation here continues to vastly improve.

Iraq is a happier place these days. Hotter'n all get-out, but much happier.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Al Jazeera reporting:

US may withdraw more Iraq troops

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US may withdraw more Iraq troops

Mullen said the security situation in Iraq had improved beyond his expectation [EPA]

The United States' senior military officer has said he will probably recommend withdrawing more US troops from Iraq if security there improves.

The statement by Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, came as the last of the 20,000 soldiers from the so-called surge last year officially ended their tour.

Mullen's comments also came as Iraqi forces took over security control of Diwaniyah province from US troops. Diwaniyah is the 10th of Iraq's 18 provinces to fall under the control of Iraqi forces.

Officials said the remaining eight provinces could be under Iraqi control by December.

US officials say the level of violence across the country is down to a four-year low based on reports of US and Iraqi military deaths, attacks on Iraqi civilians and sectarian violence.

'Unquestionably better'

Mullen said more progress had been made in Iraq than he expected, although he said it had not reached "a tipping point" and was not "irreversible".

"But security is unquestionably and remarkably better," he said following a recent visit to Iraq.

"Indeed, if these trends continue I expect to be able early this fall to recommend to the secretary [of defence] and the president further troop reductions."

Violence continued in Iraq on Wednesday, however, with a car bombing at a popular market in the country's north, police said, killing at least 15 people, including seven children.

Nearly 100 people were injured in the explosion near the town of Tal Afar, 420km northwest of Baghdad, police said.

The attack came a day after bombings killed about 40 people and wounded scores in northern Iraq.

Assessment period

The end of the so-called surge of US troops also marks the start of a 45-day evaluation period to assess the security situation in Iraq and determine how many more soldiers could be pulled out.

In recent months US military commanders have pointed to significant improvements in Iraq, including reduced violence and the growing capacity of Iraqi forces.

US officials have been hoping that if security improves, they may be able to send more units to Afghanistan, where they say violence is increasing.

Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, said on Wednesday that officials are looking for ways to send additional troops to Afghanistan this year.

There are at least 140,000 US soldiers in Iraq, about 10 per cent or several thousand more than before the "surge" in late 2007.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From the UK's Mail Online :

Welcome to one of the most dangerous places on earth: Iraq launches itself as the hot, new holiday destination

[gandalftb]

Al Qaeda is pulling out their best commanders and fighters and sending them and any AQ with talent to Pakistan.

The goal of war is to get your enemy to stop fighting. AQ quit, we won.

On to Pakistan. BTW, even Palestinian fighters are showing up in Pakistan. It is the next holy war for them.

The Iraqi Sunnis turned on AQ, that was a big surprise. AQ can't make any money or find shelter in Iraq. Pakistan offers both in plenty.

War is economics, Iraq wasn't paying, just that simple.

[gandalftb]

PS. A major advantage we had in Iraq was the relative sophistication of Iraqis. While most are still very backward, the ordinary Pushtuns of Af-Pak are downright primitive and much more isolated.

The Iraqis have much more knowledge and access to affluence. AQ never pandered to that and never offered a better vision of quality of life.

So AQ lost the average Iraqi Sunni.

The Pushtuns are much less aware and are very isolationist and xenophobic. We will not win over the Pushtuns or get them to rat out AQ.

[crazydad]

Take that Bella-Piloosi! B____ITCH!

[Mr. Peabody]

I like the throwback uniform Mullen’s got on.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From the Blogosphere (Strata Sphere):

If One Looks At Basra We Can See The Future Of Iraq - We Are Heading Towards Victory

**************************EXCERPT**************************

Published by AJStrata at 12:50 pm under All General Discussions, Iraq, Sadr/Mahdi Army

Remember Basra, Iraq? That was the initial phase of Prime Minister Maliki’s efforts to take final control of Iraq and begin his march to eradicating the last of the insurgents. Basra, the second largest city in Iraq, was being run by the Shiite Mahdi Militia. And when the city was not controlled in a day or two the SurrenderMedia came out in defeatist chorus to claim all is lost, Iraq can never see victory.

To be so consistently wrong is an amazing achievement, and the SurrenderMedia is clearly out of its element and has its eye closed tightly to reality. But they cannot hide from reality forever. So let’s look at this shining failure in Basra today:

Security progress in Basra is “overwhelming” and Iraq’s second-largest city could be “another Dubai in the coming decade,” the commander of Multi-National Division - Southeast said June 14, referring to the bustling international business hub.

British Army Maj. Gen. Barney White-Spunner told Pentagon reporters via teleconference from Baghdad that Operation Charge of the Knights - ordered by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in March - has “well and truly” turned the tide in the city.

Before the operation, militias controlled large parts of the city. Militia leaders, many under control of Iran, intimidated the populace and turned the city into a crime empire.

Basra is key to Iraq’s success, with oil fields, the port of Umm Qasr and the international airport being economic engines for the region, White-Spunner said.

Note to Barrack Obama - this smashing success in Basra was achieved by ignoring you and your lame calls for surrender. The new Basra can thank all those who ignored Barrack Obama. As the Washington Post noted in a recent Op-Ed piece, Obama as become trapped by his wrong-headed, long term plan to surrender Iraq at any cost:

BARACK OBAMA yesterday accused President Bush and Sen. John McCain of rigidity on Iraq: “They said we couldn’t leave when violence was up, they say we can’t leave when violence is down.” Mr. Obama then confirmed his own foolish consistency. Early last year, when the war was at its peak, the Democratic candidate proposed a timetable for withdrawing all U.S. combat forces in slightly more than a year. Yesterday, with bloodshed at its lowest level since the war began, Mr. Obama endorsed the same plan.

What irony! Obama has not ‘changed’ his flawed and disastrous position through all this, but President Bush did. He threw out the old guard which resisted a troop Surge and put in place people and plans that turned a possible defeat into an emerging victory. And Obama is looking damn stupid (if not insane) to not note the progress and adjust his mindset.

Senator, give credit where it is due. Thankfully those in power ignored you and Basra is the result of those actions. If you want to see what YOUR plans would have wrought, just take a tour of the West Bank.

17 Responses to “If One Looks At Basra We Can See The Future Of Iraq - We Are Heading Towards Victory”

[Allegra]

Welcome to one of the most dangerous places on earth: Iraq launches itself as the hot, new holiday destination

Holiday destination. Yep, it's a blast. (Not so much lately, really.)

And they got the "hot" part right.