Abizaid questions Maliki on unifying Iraq

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Retired Army Gen. John Abizaid, former head of U.S. Central Command, speaks to the World Affairs Council on Dec. 10 in San Francisco.


Abizaid questions Maliki on unifying Iraq
By Scott Lindlaw - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Dec 11, 2007 15:23:30 EST

SAN FRANCISCO — The recently retired commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East questioned on Monday whether Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki can take the steps necessary to bring national unity to the country, and said the United States must “demand” that Maliki do so.

Gen. John Abizaid, who until February led the U.S. Central Command, with oversight of the Middle East and Central Asia, said Monday that the American military increase this year has “gained time.”

But it remains to be seen, he said, whether political and diplomatic achievements that were supposed to be made possible by the “surge” can be made by the government under Maliki.

A critical measure of success will be whether Iraq’s central government can and will draw upon local forces around the country to back Baghdad, Abizaid said.

“Where you have to be is where local forces in Iraq are in support of a government of national unity, and the government of national unity can call upon the loyalty of local forces,” he said.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/12/ap_abizaid_071211/