Crocker, Petraeus Continue Sparring

General David Petraeus: “As the conditions are then met, and we look at the security and local governance conditions that allow us to thin out our forces and thereby redeploy additional elements. Iraqi Forces have grown significantly since September, and over 540,000 individuals now serve in the Iraqi Security Forces. While improved, Iraqi Security Forces are not yet ready to defend Iraq or maintain security throughout the country on their own. Recent operations in Basra highlight improvements in the ability of the Iraqi Security Forces. Recent operations also underscored the considerable work still to be done in the areas of expeditionary logistics, force enablers, staff development, and command and control.”

Ambassador Ryan Crocker: “As one looks at Iraq's neighbors, the primary problem is with Iran, which, as both the general and I have said, is providing training, equipment, arms, ammunition, and explosives to radical militia elements that they effectively control. These are groups that target coalition forces, Iraqi forces, and Iraqi civilians. And it is destabilizing to Iraq. Iran has stated (publicly) that its policy is to support the Iraqi government. And in my view, if you take sort of an objective analysis of the Iran-Iraq relationship, that is what Iran should be doing, supporting the central government, because the truth is no people suffered more from Saddam Hussein's regime in Baghdad than the Iranian people, with the sole exception of the Iraqis themselves.”

Congressman Howard Berman (D-CA): “The most disturbing strategic development of the war is that Iran, the most dangerous state in the region, so far has emerged as the winner. Their enemy Saddam is gone, and in his place is a government seemingly very open to Iranian friendship and influence.”

Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO): “The objective of the surge was to create the political space for the Iraqis to reconcile. Our troops have created that space, but the Iraqis have yet to step up. There have been some local gains and some legislative accomplishments, but those mostly haven’t been implemented. So we don’t know if those will really help or not. And, real reconciliation, based on a sharing of resources, a guarantee of political participation, equal treatment under the law, and protection from violence regardless of sect, simply hasn’t happened. When looking at the needs in Afghanistan, the effort in Iraq — however important — is putting at risk our ability to decisively defeat those most likely to attack us. Iraq is also preventing us from effectively preparing for the next conflict.”