Excerpts from Adm. Fallon's confirmation hearings; not encouraging

[babylonsister]

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/16581947.htm

Excerpts from the Fallon hearing
Associated Press

Excerpts from the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday on the confirmation of Adm. William Fallon to become top U.S. commander in Middle East:

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"Clearly not much in the way of progress is going to occur with the current levels of violence and instability. But I think that we would probably be wise to temper our expectations here; that the likelihood that Iraq is suddenly going to turn into something that looks close to what we enjoy here in this country is going to be a long time coming." - Fallon.

snip//

Asked about dangers associated with the president's plan, Fallon said, "Our troops are going to be inserted into the most difficult areas imaginable: right into the neighborhoods, right in the face of the Iraqis. How are we going to avoid the inherent risks that are created, the increased risks that are created by that kind of face-to-face presence?" - Committee Chairman Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.

"Senator, there's clearly going to be an increased risk in this area. ... But it seems pretty obvious to me that what we have been doing has not been working. We have not been getting the results that we desire. And we clearly have to do something different." - Fallon.

snip//


"We probably erred in our assessment of the ability of these people to take on all of these tasks at the same time.

"And it seems to me that one of the things in the back of my mind that I'd like to get answered is to meet with the people that have been working this issue, particularly our ambassadors, our diplomats, to get an assessment of what's realistic and what's practical.

"And maybe we ought to redefine the goals here a bit and do something that's more realistic in terms of getting some progress, and then maybe take on the other things later." - Fallon.

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