ME Commander Admiral Fallon-Iraq violence down

DuH2 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-04-2008, 01:26 AM

Quote:

WASHINGTON - The commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East says there has been a dramatic decrease of violence in Iraq, but such gains are not irreversible.

"By almost every measure, the security situation has improved significantly," said Adm. William Fallon in remarks prepared for a hearing Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Still, "multiple strains of violent extremism remain a threat to the government and populace and some of these groups benefit from external support," namely Iran and Syria, he added.

Fallon's cautious optimism could help lay the groundwork for a halt in troop reductions in Iraq this summer. Gen. David Petraeus, the top commander in Iraq, is expected to ask President Bush to wait until as late as September to decide whether to bring home more troops than already scheduled.

By July, the Pentagon is on track to complete its reduction from 20 to 15 active-duty Army brigades deployed to Iraq. Petraeus, who is slated to testify before Congress on April 8-9, has said he favors a "period of assessment" after that so as not to lose the security gains made in recent months.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080304/..._st_pe/us_iraq

Stay the Course

Quote:

Sfc. Ahmed Edwards from Kinqston, Jamaica, of Charlie Company, 1st Platoon, 1-15 Infantry, 3rd Brigade Combat team, 3rd Infantry Division, walks next to an Iraqi child who tries to fly a kite during a routine patrol at Salman Pak city about 30 miles (45 kilometers), south of Baghdad, Iraq, on Monday, March. 3, 2008

Tedminator · #2 (**permalink**) 03-04-2008, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Gen. David Petraeus, the top commander in Iraq, is expected to ask President Bush to wait until as late as September to decide whether to bring home more troops than already scheduled.

By July, the Pentagon is on track to complete its reduction from 20 to 15 active-duty Army brigades deployed to Iraq.

Good. As long as US troop reductions continue to happen. Even it's just symbolic like a few hundred American soldiers leaving Iraq per month.. the free Iraqis must learn to fend for their own country and in the process regain some national pride.

kestrel · #3 (**permalink**) 03-04-2008, 02:06 AM

I just read this the other day. Which is true?

BAGHDAD (AFP) — The number of Iraqis killed in February rose by 33 percent over January, official figures showed on Saturday, reversing a six-month trend of reduced violence, in a setback to the US military plan to curb Iraq's bloodshed.

The combined figures obtained by AFP from the interior, defence and health ministries showed that the total number of Iraqis killed in February was 721, including 636 civilians, compared with 541 dead in January.

DuH2 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-04-2008, 02:23 AM

Both.

Quote:

US casualties drop in February

BAGHDAD - At least 29 U.S. troops died while serving in Iraq in February, the third-lowest monthly casualty toll for the U.S. military since the American-led invasion in 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

Troop fatalities declined from 40 in January, and also dropped steeply from February 2007, when at least 81 troops died in Iraq.

But Iraqi casualties increased compared with January, although violence was reduced substantially from a year ago.

The AP count revealed at least 739 Iraqi security forces and civilians were either killed or found dead last month, up from 610 in January, which had the lowest monthly death toll since the end of 2005.

In February 2007, at least 1,801 Iraqis were killed

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080301/...raq_casualties

US Deaths February 3rd lowest in Iraq War.

All deaths are bad..but lets be realistic here..in all of Iraq less then a thousand people where killed in a month. when it used to be 2,000 a month average.

Then check all the other economic,politcal, etc factors and its undenaible its getting better and better. Frankly the only way we lose in Iraq is the Democrats throwing it away.

//////

(on a side note---I dunno how much of a factor it may play in the numbers..but roughyl 10 Million people walked to Karbala in February)

Quote:

Al-Maliki: Iraqis are reconciling

KARBALA, Iraq (AFP) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki hailed success in national reconciliation on Thursday as he joined millions of Shiite Muslims at a holy ceremony in the shrine city of Karbala.

"The terrorists wanted to tear apart Iraq... destroy its unity. They wanted sectarian strife and a civil war but with your hands you banished the spectre of civil war," Maliki said.

He was speaking to a vast crowd of pilgrims gathered at the Imam Hussein shrine -- one of the most sacred for Shiites -- where the faithful beat their chests and chanted in trance-like unison for Arbaeen.

Officials said a record 10 million people converged on the city for the ceremony which marks the anniversary of the 40th day after the seventh century slaying in Karbala of the revered Imam Hussein.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080228...religionshiite

Iraq PM hails reconciltion to massive crowd.

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