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Skriven 2007-03-06 23:33:22 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0703064) for Tue, 2007 Mar 6
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Fact Sheet: Pursuing a Strategy for Success in Iraq
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For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary March 6, 2007
Fact Sheet: Pursuing a Strategy for Success in Iraq
ÿÿWhite House News
ÿÿÿÿÿ President Bush Discusses Care for America's Returning Wounded
Warriors, War on Terror at American Legion ÿÿÿÿÿ In Focus: Renewal in Iraq
Today, President Bush Discussed The War On Terror In Remarks To The
American Legion's Annual Convention In Washington, DC.ÿ The President
discussed his strategy to achieve the goal of a democratic Iraq that
upholds the rule of law, respects the rights of its people, provides
security, and is an ally in the War on Terror.ÿ
þ The Fight In Iraq Is Part Of A Larger Struggle Against Extremism That
Is Unfolding Across The Broader Middle East.ÿ The extremists are
fighting to control Iraq so they can establish it as a base from which
to overthrow moderate governments in the region and plan new attacks on
the American people.ÿ
þ Now That The Battle For Baghdad Is Underway, Our Country Must Stand
Behind Our Troops And Do Everything We Can To Aid Their Success.ÿ If
American forces were to step back from Baghdad now, before it is more
secure, the scale and scope of attacks would increase and intensify.ÿ
Violence could spread across the entire country and in time, the
entire region.ÿ The enemy could emerge from the chaos emboldened with
new safe havens, new recruits, new resources, and an even greater
determination to harm our Nation.ÿ
The President Also Announced Former Senator Bob Dole And Former U.S.
Department Of Health And Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala Will Serve
As Co-Chairs Of The President's Commission On Care For America's Returning
Wounded Warriors.ÿThis Commission will conduct a comprehensive review of
the care America is providing our wounded servicemen and women returning
from the battlefield.ÿ It will examine their treatment from the time they
leave the battlefield through their return to civilian life as veterans
so we can ensure we are meeting their physical and mental health needs.ÿ
þ As This Commission Considers Long-Term Solutions, President Bush Has
Also Directed VA Secretary Jim Nicholson To Lead A Task Force Of Seven
Cabinet Members To Focus On And Respond To Immediate Needs.ÿÿ
The New Way Forward In Iraq
The New Strategy In Iraq Is Markedly Different From Previous Efforts. ÿThe
strategy Multi-National Force in Iraq Commander General David Petraeus is
pursuing makes securing Baghdad our top priority, gives our troops the
reinforcements they need, and demands more from Iraq's elected government.ÿ
Tactics of the strategy include:
þ Establishing Over 40 "Joint Security Stations" Throughout Baghdad.ÿ In
the past, our forces would help Iraqis clear out neighborhoods during
the day, and then go back to their bases at night.ÿ This time, we will
hold the neighborhoods we have cleared by establishing over 40 joint
security stations throughout Baghdad.ÿ These will be neighborhood
outposts where U.S. and Iraqi forces are jointly deployed 24 hours a
day to secure the population, provide emergency aid to local
communities, and gather information to root out extremist networks
throughout the capital.ÿÿ
þ At The Same Time, Our Forces Will Continue To Train The Iraqi Army And
Police So We Can Help Ensure That The Iraqi Forces Left Behind Are
Capable Of Providing The Security That Baghdad Needs.ÿ
þ Ordering Reinforcements Of More Than 20,000 Additional Soldiers And
Marines To Iraq.ÿ The vast majority will go to Baghdad, where they will
help Iraqi forces to clear and secure neighborhoods, and partner with
Iraqi Army units.ÿ With Iraqis in the lead, our forces will help secure
the city by chasing down the terrorists, insurgents, and roaming death
squads.ÿ
þ Demanding More From Iraq's Elected Government.ÿ In addition to steps
they are taking to secure their capital, Iraq's leaders have committed
themselves to a series of political benchmarks to advance
reconciliation, to share oil revenues among all of Iraq's citizens, to
put the wealth of Iraq into the rebuilding of Iraq, to allow more
Iraqis to re-enter their nation's civic life, to hold local elections,
and to take responsibility for security in every Iraqi province.ÿ
Iraqis have already begun to deliver on some of these promises, and now
Iraq's leaders must meet the other pledges they have made.ÿ
The Iraqi Government And Coalition Forces Have Made Initial Progress, And
More Is To Come
The Plan General Petraeus Is Executing Is In Its Very Early Stages, But
There Are Some Encouraging Signs.ÿGeneral Petraeus arrived in Baghdad in
early February, and it is far too early to judge the success of his
operation.ÿ However, Iraqi and U.S. forces are making gradual but important
progress:
þ The Iraqi government has completed the deployment of three additional
Iraqi Army brigades to the capital. ÿThese additional forces join the
nine National Police and seven Iraqi Army brigades already in the
Greater Baghdad area.
þ Iraq's leaders have lifted restrictions on Iraqi and Coalition forces
that prevented them from going into certain areas, and U.S. and Iraqi
troops are now pursuing the enemy in neighborhoods like Sadr City,
where our operations were once restricted.ÿ
þ About half of the joint security stations have been established in
neighborhoods across Baghdad.ÿ
þ Iraqi and U.S. forces have rounded up more than 700 people affiliated
with Shia extremists and have recovered large weapons caches, including
mortar weapons systems and rocket-propelled grenades.ÿ
þ Iraqi and U.S. forces have launched successful operations against Sunni
extremists, recently killing al Qaida terrorists in Baghdad, who were
responsible for numerous bomb attacks.
þ In the past two weeks, U.S. and Iraqi forces have uncovered large
stockpiles of Explosively Formed Projectiles (EFPs), which are used by
extremist groups to attack our troops.ÿ
Iraqis Are Beginning To Deliver On Benchmarks To Achieve Political
Reconciliation. ÿ
þ Iraq's Council of Ministers approved a national hydrocarbon law that
provides for an equitable distribution of oil revenues throughout the
country. ÿThe draft law will need to be enacted by the Iraqi Council of
Representatives when it returns from recess, but the prospects for
passage are excellent because all the major parliamentary blocs are
represented in the cabinet.
þ Last month, the Iraqi government approved a $41 billion budget that
includes $10 billion dollars for reconstruction and capital
investment.ÿ
þ Iraq's leaders must meet the other pledges they have made.ÿ These
include:
1) Narrowing the limitations of the de-Baathification law;
2) Establishing the framework and setting a date for provincial
elections; and
3) Pursuing the constitutional review process.
To Succeed, Iraq's Leaders Need The International Community's Help.ÿ The
United States supports the Iraqi government as it pursues an international
initiative to build diplomatic, economic, and security support for its
young democracy.ÿ Last week, the Iraqis announced that they will hold a
conference in Baghdad that will include officials from Iraq's neighboring
countries, as well as the permanent members of the United Nations Security
Council, the Arab League, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.ÿ
It will be followed in April by a second conference that includes Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice and her counterparts from around the world.ÿ
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