Problems If Extremists Hold Region
Bigger Problems Await if Extremists Hold Sway on Region, General Says
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27, 2006 – It’s imperative that the United States, its allies and the Iraqi government stop Islamic extremists from achieving their goal of controlling Iraq and the surrounding region, a senior U.S. military officer said on CBS’s “60 Minutes” yesterday.
“We have to stabilize Iraq and the broader regional dynamic in order to make the region less conducive to extremism, because if we don’t, the extremist values will become mainstream and we will have a much worse security situation develop in the future,” Army Gen. John P. Abizaid, commander of U.S. Central Command, told CBS reporter Lara Logan.
Recent heightened sectarian violence in Iraq “is worrisome,” Abizaid acknowledged, noting “it can be fatal to Iraq if it’s not checked.” Yet, he dismissed talk of partitioning Iraq into separate Shiite, Kurdish and Sunni segments.
“There’s no good solution to a divided Iraq,” Abizaid asserted. “It’s got to come together. It’s got to stabilize. And, it’s going to require Iraqi sacrifice and courage and responsibility along with that of the United States and our allies.”
U.S. military commanders “don’t believe that they’ve been defeated” in Iraq, Abizaid said. His greatest concern for Iraq, he said, is that neighbors like Syria and Iran decide to further destabilize the country, rather than help it to coalesce.
The Iraqi government has shown its desire to confront the sectarian violence, including violence committed by illegal militias, Abizaid pointed out. “They know that the militias have got to be taken on,” the general said.
A major element in stabilizing Iraq, Abizaid said, involves employing the country’s army to stop the sectarian strife.
“The (Iraqi) government must get behind its army in order to give it confidence that it can operate on the non-sectarian plain,” the four-star general said. “And, it’s a very, very complicated problem. But, it is one that can be solved.”
The Iraqi army is improving daily in both numbers and quality, Abizaid pointed out. During his recent testimony before Congress, the general noted he’d never ruled out that more U.S. troops could be sent to Iraq.
“I had not precluded the notion of more (U.S.) troops coming into Iraq,” Abizaid said. “We’ll do whatever we have to do to stabilize the situation. As, I said in my testimony, all options are on the table.”
Abizaid rejected the idea that Americans have given up on the mission in Iraq.
“I think people in the country are trying to figure out how to manage our involvement in Iraq so that Iraq can stabilize,” Abizaid said. “You just can’t walk away from these problems in the Middle East and hope that things are going to get better.”
|
Other Opinions
I think da hole united states should be like raza unida with mexico then diz fucken country would be a winer
We need to get the job done. That country and the surronding area has been nothing but hell for innocent people. Someone had to take a stand, I'm glad it was us.
i think were doin a good job at war right now we just have to stay strong.Thats not a problem for us.
I LOVE LITTLE NJ
The Unite States has military leaders. We are doin the right thing by stayin strong. For those who dont know any thing about the military they should trust in our leaders.
fac you
My opinion is that if the united states is to leave iraq in a hurried fashion then the extremists will think of us as only a temporary threat, and the moment that we dismiss the fact that insugents and terrorists alike are operating from that country, another disaster will occur and we will find ourselves in another long and costly war for peace and stability in that region.
I THINK THIS JOB ITS GOOD
exactly thats what all these people protesting that we shouldnt be threre dont understand.if this problem isnt dealt with right then there will only be bigger and more horrifying problems from these dotheads in the future
The <a href= http://www.kaixinlong.com/en/>capsule filling machine </a> india,indian capsule filling machine, capsule filling machine manufacturer,capsule filling machine exporter India.Melco embroidery equipment is an <a href= http://www.hycem.com/embroi...>embroidery machine</a> manufacturer and supplier of embroidery machine equipment.
The <a href= http://www.kaixinlong.com/en/>capsule filling machine </a> india,indian capsule filling machine, capsule filling machine manufacturer,capsule filling machine exporter India.Melco embroidery equipment is an <a href= http://www.hycem.com/embroi...>embroidery machine</a> manufacturer and supplier of embroidery machine equipment.
Precision <a href= http://www.zilimachinery.co...>sheet metal fabrication</a>: Click to learn more about custom,precision sheet metal fabrication directory.
The <a href= http://www.pneumaticcylinde...>pneumatic cylinder</a> manufacturers catalog, pneumatic cylinder supplier from here, pneumatic cylinder factories.
Sound Off!!
|