General: Security permanent in southern Iraq

[unhappycamper]

General: Security permanent in southern Iraq
By Alan Gomez - USA TODAY
Posted : Friday Feb 13, 2009 5:51:09 EST

BAGHDAD — The U.S. commander who oversees most of southern Iraq said Thursday he believes recent security gains there are permanent — and that some of his troops are openly wondering why they’re still there, even though he believes their presence remains crucial.

As the Obama administration considers how quickly to pull troops out of Iraq and shift some of them to Afghanistan, Maj. Gen. Michael Oates told reporters in Baghdad that his region of Iraq is seeing about two attacks on U.S. servicemembers each day — a 90 percent reduction compared to the worst periods of the nearly six-year-old war.

Oates was asked if the security gains made in the eight provinces he oversees are fragile and could quickly reverse course. He said no, and cited the diminishing strength of Shiite extremist groups and al-Qaida, as well as the Jan. 31 elections that were held with no major attacks.

“In Southern Iraq, it’s my considered opinion that (the progress) is not reversible,” Oates said.

The situation is less peaceful in parts of northern Iraq, particularly the city of Mosul, which commanders have called al-Qaida in Iraq’s last urban stronghold. A suicide car bomber there killed four U.S. servicemembers on Monday in the single deadliest attack on American forces since last May.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/02/ap_oates_iraq_security_021309/%2e