Iraqi President promises US troops out by end of year
The Subtance
The World Today - Thursday, 3 August , 2006 12:26:00
Reporter: Michael Rowland
ELEANOR HALL:
More than 8,000 people have died in mostly sectarian attacks in Iraq in the last three months. And of the more than 50 people killed in bomb blasts yesterday, several were children who were at a Baghdad football game when two bombs exploded in the middle of the pitch.
But despite the violence, the Iraqi President is insisting that a transfer of authority from US led troops to Iraqi forces across the country will be completed by the end of 2006.
The US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, though, has called the President's plan optimistic.
This report from our Washington Correspondent, Michael Rowland.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: The Bush's administration's mantra on Iraq has long been that as Iraqi forces step up, US troops would stand down.
Iraq's President Jalal Talabani believes the stepping up is on the verge of being completed.
JALAL TALABANI (translated): The role of the multinational forces is a role to help the Iraqi armed forces, and hopefully the Iraqi armed forces will at the end of the year, will take over the security in all the Iraqi provinces, little by little, gradually. And hopefully, we will be in a position, in the first position to do that.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: At the moment, Iraqi troops provide security for only one of Iraq's 18 provinces and everywhere else they're under the firm direction of US and multinational forces.
Deep concerns remain about the Iraqi Army's operation capabilities but President Talabani is increasingly confident it will be able to quash the insurgency and, as he puts it, 'terminate terrorism'
US forces are busily training the nearly 300,000 members of the Iraqi security forces, a process senior American military figures concede will take some time.
The Iraqi President's comments about the looming security transfer have come as something of a surprise to US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld.
DONALD RUMSFELD: I did not see President Talabani's remarks but obviously the hope of the Iraqis, the hope of the Americans, the hope of the troops is that the Iraqis will continue to take over responsibility for the security in their country. And that over time we'll be able to draw down our forces as conditions permit. Beyond that, I'm not going to go.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: The latest US policy is sending more American troops into Baghdad to quell fierce sectarian violence.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, has confirmed an initial 3,500 US troops will now be roaming the capital's dangerous streets.
PETER PACE: So, we're able to quickly respond to needs as they come about, to suppress the death squads that have been roaming and shooting, assassinating innocent people.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: Even Donald Rumsfeld, who's already tried to put a positive spin on events in Iraq, concedes the security situation is looking increasingly grim.
DONALD RUMSFELD: Is it a high level of sectarian violence? Yes, it is. And are people being killed? Yes. And is it unfortunate? Yes.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: More than 50 people died today in bomb attacks across Iraq, including a group of children playing soccer in Baghdad. The bomb was apparently buried in the middle of the pitch.
ELEANOR HALL: That's our Washington Correspondent, Michael Rowland.
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1705053.htm
In a statement which appears to have taken the Bush administration by surprise, Iraq's President has told a news conference today that US led forces will be out of his country by the end of the year.Iraqi President promises US troops out by end of year
President Jalal Talabani's announcement comes less than a week after US President George W. Bush met Iraq's Prime Minister, Nouri Maliki, and agreed to strengthen the US military presence in Baghdad, after an upsurge in what Mr Bush described as terrible violence.
The World Today - Thursday, 3 August , 2006 12:26:00
Reporter: Michael Rowland
ELEANOR HALL:
More than 8,000 people have died in mostly sectarian attacks in Iraq in the last three months. And of the more than 50 people killed in bomb blasts yesterday, several were children who were at a Baghdad football game when two bombs exploded in the middle of the pitch.
But despite the violence, the Iraqi President is insisting that a transfer of authority from US led troops to Iraqi forces across the country will be completed by the end of 2006.
The US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, though, has called the President's plan optimistic.
This report from our Washington Correspondent, Michael Rowland.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: The Bush's administration's mantra on Iraq has long been that as Iraqi forces step up, US troops would stand down.
Iraq's President Jalal Talabani believes the stepping up is on the verge of being completed.
JALAL TALABANI (translated): The role of the multinational forces is a role to help the Iraqi armed forces, and hopefully the Iraqi armed forces will at the end of the year, will take over the security in all the Iraqi provinces, little by little, gradually. And hopefully, we will be in a position, in the first position to do that.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: At the moment, Iraqi troops provide security for only one of Iraq's 18 provinces and everywhere else they're under the firm direction of US and multinational forces.
Deep concerns remain about the Iraqi Army's operation capabilities but President Talabani is increasingly confident it will be able to quash the insurgency and, as he puts it, 'terminate terrorism'
US forces are busily training the nearly 300,000 members of the Iraqi security forces, a process senior American military figures concede will take some time.
The Iraqi President's comments about the looming security transfer have come as something of a surprise to US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld.
DONALD RUMSFELD: I did not see President Talabani's remarks but obviously the hope of the Iraqis, the hope of the Americans, the hope of the troops is that the Iraqis will continue to take over responsibility for the security in their country. And that over time we'll be able to draw down our forces as conditions permit. Beyond that, I'm not going to go.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: The latest US policy is sending more American troops into Baghdad to quell fierce sectarian violence.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, has confirmed an initial 3,500 US troops will now be roaming the capital's dangerous streets.
PETER PACE: So, we're able to quickly respond to needs as they come about, to suppress the death squads that have been roaming and shooting, assassinating innocent people.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: Even Donald Rumsfeld, who's already tried to put a positive spin on events in Iraq, concedes the security situation is looking increasingly grim.
DONALD RUMSFELD: Is it a high level of sectarian violence? Yes, it is. And are people being killed? Yes. And is it unfortunate? Yes.
MICHAEL ROWLAND: More than 50 people died today in bomb attacks across Iraq, including a group of children playing soccer in Baghdad. The bomb was apparently buried in the middle of the pitch.
ELEANOR HALL: That's our Washington Correspondent, Michael Rowland.
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1705053.htm
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