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General Petraeus says Iraq get-out could come quicker
Copenhagen News.Net
Friday 5th September, 2008
The US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, has said he will call for the pullout of US troops from Baghdad within 10 months because of declining violence in the Iraqi capital.
Petraeus told reporters in Baghdad that he recommended the withdrawal of troops from Baghdad in a report to be submitted to Congress in two weeks, citing the increasing capabilities of Iraqi forces to conduct security operations without the help of US troops in most Iraqi areas.
Petraeus' comments came as the Iraqi government and the US seek to finalize a long-term security pact that will govern the presence of US forces in the country after a UN mandate expires at the end of the year.
Media reports said in August that the US and Iraq have agreed that US combat troops would leave entirely before the end of 2011.
Asked whether it was feasible that US combat forces could leave Baghdad by July 2009, Petraeus said: “Conditions permitting.”
“The number of attacks in Baghdad lately has been, I think it's probably less than five a day on average; and that's a city of seven million people,” he added.
The US military handed over on Monday Iraq's Anbar province to Iraqi forces.
Anbar was the 11th of Iraq's 18 provinces to be returned to Iraqi control since the 2003 US-led invasion to oust Saddam Hussein.
Petraeus has also praised the decision of Iraqi radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to halt his Mahdi Army militia's armed operations last month.
Anti-US cleric al-Sadr had announced a cultural programme would be set to increase awareness for the Mahdi Army, which was once described by the Pentagon as the greatest threat to the country's security.
Later Thursday, the US military announced the death of two US soldiers after an explosive devices targeted their patrol east of Baghdad.
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Comments on this story
Independent
09-05-08, 09:48 AM |
General Petraeus says Iraq get-out could come quicker
Thanks to the PUSH created by Obama. This could be a ploy to boost McCain’s Election platform.
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RWN
09-05-08, 12:40 PM |
More like the cycle of violence has shifted to Afghanistan away from Iraq.
To many holy warriors getting killed and a complete loss of control.
The surge and Very specific bribes and payoffs to Iraqi Sheiks and power structures to keep the peace have paid off.
The local sheiks have forced militant groups out.
So effectively we bought peace with American treasure.
Once we turn over it all and quit making the pay offs chaos will occur.
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Anonymous
09-05-08, 09:02 PM |
Obama push?
He is another John Kerry. That type cannot make any decision until it is already history.
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Anonymous
09-06-08, 02:56 AM |
Assumptions make an!
RWN Bang on but how many boards are you leaving this Quote on! :O)
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