U.S. Official (Wolfie) Cites 'Progress' but Sees G.I.'s in Iraq for Years

[UpInArms]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/22/politics/22CND-PENT.html

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excerpt:

But Representative Ike Skelton of Missouri, the panel's ranking Democrat, was not persuaded. Conceding that much had been accomplished in Iraq, he asserted that progress had been slowed by "the security quagmire" that exists there now.

"I see, Mr. Secretary, two Iraqs," Mr. Skelton said. "One is the optimistic Iraq that you describe, and we thank you for your testimony. And the other Iraq is the one that I see every morning, with the violence, the death of soldiers and marines. I must tell you, it breaks my heart a little bit more every day."

When Mr. Skelton asked Mr. Wolfowitz what lessons he had absorbed in the past 15 months, or roughly since all-out war ended and the mopping up and peace-keeping began, the Pentagon official responded at length about the evils of Saddam Hussein, his henchmen and their followers.

"Mr. Secretary, let me interrupt if I may," Mr. Skelton broke in. "My question is, what lessons we have learned, you have learned in the last 15 months."

Mr. Wolfowitz replied that military planners may have underestimated how persistent the anti- American forces might be even after the several dozen leaders of the Baghdad regime were killed or captured. And he said that the Iraqis themselves must eventually impose security on their country, not just to stabilize the government but to allow ordinary Iraqis to go about their lives.

...more...

[struggle4progress]

1. Wolfowitz Says Iraq Stay Could Last Years

<snip>
Wolfowitz said it is possible that U.S. troops could be used to enforce Iraqi martial law after the partial transfer of power a week from now. Ayad Alawi, Iraq's interim prime minister, has said martial law is possible to crack down on insurgents.

Helping impose martial law, Wolfowitz said, "might actually be something that we might mutually agree was necessary to bring order in a particularly difficult place."
<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61943-2004Jun22.html