« Obama Backtracks on Promise That Americans Will Be Able to Keep Their Doctors | Main | Trailer of Steven Spielberg's HBO Miniseries 'The Pacific' »
June 25, 2009
Pentagon: Increased Violence Expected as US Troops Leave Iraqi Cities
Pentagon: Increased Violence Expected as US Troops Leave Iraqi Cities
WASHINGTON, June 24, 2009
Predicting an uptick in violence in Iraq as U.S. combat troops leave the cities by June 30, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today that deployed troops have geared up for the heightened threat as they comply with the U.S.-Iraq status of forces agreement.
“I think we have reason to believe -- and I think our forces have been alerted to the possibility -- that we will likely see an uptick in violence leading up to the June 30 deadline for U.S. combat forces to leave Iraqi cities and towns,” Morrell told Pentagon reporters.
He cited past patterns in which terrorists and insurgents increased their attacks in the days leading up to elections and other significant milestones.
Recent incidents in Iraq, including the “horrific” bombing south of Kirkuk last weekend, also indicate a possible repeat before U.S. combat troops leave urban areas in accordance with the U.S.-Iraqi status of forces agreement, Morrell said.
Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, has expressed confidence in the capabilities of both his forces and the Iraqi security forces to deal with the increased threat level, Morrell said. As combat troops leave the cities, they’ll form “layers of defense” outside the urban areas and continue to conduct combat operations with Iraqi security forces.
However, smaller contingents of U.S. troops will remain behind to support the Iraqi security forces until they’re no longer needed. “This is going to be a coordinate/train/advise/assist role,” he said. “So we’ll really be there as a complement to them.”
Morrell cited progress in improving security in Iraq and helping the Iraqi security forces develop capacity.
“Security incidents, despite that awful attack, remain at all-time lows since March of 2003,” he said. “So despite the fact that you’ve seen sporadic high-profile attacks still taking place in Iraq, the overall security climate is a good one.”
Morrell stopped short of declaring victory over the insurgency.
“We think we have beaten back al-Qaida to the point where they are now conducting attacks that are basically propaganda campaigns in an attempt to make it look as though they are driving us out of the Iraqi cities,” he said. “In fact, the truth of the matter is that … the work of our brave men and women in uniform over the past couple years has created a climate such that we can leave Iraqi cities, and the Iraqi security forces are developed to the point where they are capable of taking over that responsibility.”
Meanwhile, progress has continued on the economic and political fronts as well.
“All those things are improvements,” Morrell said. “And we signed a security agreement with the Iraqis nearly a year ago in which they asked us to stay in Iraq for the next three years to help them continue to build upon that momentum.
“We view that obligation seriously, and we intend to honor it,” he added.
Wild Thing's comment..........
This is no surprise it is the very thing we all talked about when it was being discussed how the would pull our troops out of Iraq. It is the military that is right there that will know the when of this not some Kenya freak sitting in an air conditioned office he does not belong in making this kind of decision. OBama is the least qualilfied ito be CIC and since he obviously hates our military he should never be the CIC.
Posted by Wild Thing at June 25, 2009 04:47 AM
Comments
CIC = Commander iza Chump....... ZERO facking Qualifications for the job. Z-E-R-O. That sums it up. Clueless M-F'er.....
Posted by: pontiff alex at June 25, 2009 10:43 AM
I just hope the Iraqi Army and security forces can handle the situation. obama has now made the cities in Iraq more dangerous. I hate to see our efforts and blood go to waste because of a dipshit like obama.
Posted by: TomR at June 25, 2009 11:05 AM
Dipshit set the stage, he wasn't alone either, Congress is just as guilty. Deja Vu, hey we've seen this before? RVN, Mogadishu, SS Cole, Beirut Bombing - Is Iran's Mousavi the “Butcher of Beirut”? , Khobar Towers, WTC I, WTC II, yet the administration shows weakness at every opportunity. Telling Iran that the United States is pulling out of Iraq and the closing of Gitmo tells Iran, N.Korea, Syria, Russia and China, come and get it. It's not just Iraq, it's Afghanistan that gets equally emboldened. What say we just stand down and pull all our troops back from all around the world in every theater, then turn the lights off in DC and go rat hunting. Don'tcha just love it. 53% of the nation voted to kill our fathers, mothers, sons, brothers , sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins, just to save them. Now that's logic!!!
Off topic, Farah Fawcett just passed. Sad!!!
Posted by: Jack at June 25, 2009 01:33 PM
I think it is a question of time before the Helicopters are landing on the roof of the embassy. In typical democrat fashion we are abandoning what we started.
Once again the troops are hung out to dry. I swear to God, this moron obama is not in charge nobody can be this stupid. This is a plan by someone pulling his strings.
The thing was won all he had to do was stay the course, steer the damn ship.
Posted by: Mark at June 25, 2009 07:33 PM
Alex, good one he sure is that.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 26, 2009 01:58 AM
Tom, I feel the same way. I worry about the
attacks increasing on our troops since
the terrorists know we will be pulling
out.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 26, 2009 02:00 AM
Jack, thank you,there has always been a
part of me ever since Vietnam that I wish
our troops only had to defend and fight
for freedom for those of us that appreciate
it.
Then let the rest of the population go to
hell.
I can't help it, I am just so sick of how
they have treated our military,active duty
and Veterans over the years.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 26, 2009 02:11 AM
Mark, I agree so much, I can feel it.
" a question of time before the Helicopters are landing on the roof of the embassy."
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 26, 2009 02:17 AM
