More on this later, but the underlying structural constraints facing the U.S. are indelible. Simply put, the U.S. simply cannot sustain the present deployment indefinitely, as I have noted here on several occasions. Moreover, popular support for the war is shrinking at home, and elite opinion is skeptical that the U.S. can accomplish its stated objectives in Iraq. One question to be debated is whether the U.S. presence facilitates the consolidation of the Iraqi government's control, or undermines it?
PM Jaafari's statement standing alongside of Rumsfeld is an important marker not just of Iraqi opinion vis-a-vis the U.S. occupation, but a reflection of the American quest for an exit strategy. Whether an exit strategy will buttress the democratic development of Iraq is doubtful, but it has been clear for nearly two years that faced with the option of choosing between stretching the Army to the breaking point and beyond, on the one hand, and dramatically reducing the U.S. military presence, on the other, the U.S. will easily choose the latter even if it damns the chances for fostering a democratic Iraq.
It has still not fully dawned on some key policymakers that both the present U.S. predicament, as well as an exit strategy privilege Iran. Jaafari and his colleagues do understand this, which is why there have been a series of cordial diplomat exchanges between Baghdad and Tehran. The U.S. penchant is to threaten Iran, should it interfere in Iraq, but given the geo-political chips that Iran holds there is going to have a be serious dialogue between the U.S. and Iran. Such a dialogue was underway in 2001, but it was curtailed.
BBC NEWS | Middle East | Iraq PM urges 'speedy' US pullout
"Iraq's interim Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari has called for US troops to leave the country soon, but added no timetable had been set for withdrawal.
Mr Jaafari was speaking in a joint press conference with US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who is in Baghdad on a surprise visit.
"Mr Jaafari asked the US to train Iraqi troops faster and to begin handing security control over to local forces.
"The top US commander in Iraq has said a withdrawal could begin in the spring.
"Gen George Casey, speaking before Mr Jaafari made his comments, said if elections went ahead as planned at the end of the year and security improved, "we will still be able to make fairly substantial reductions... in the spring and summer of next year".
"Mr Jaafari said any US withdrawal had to be co-ordinated with the Iraqi authorities.
" "We do not want to be surprised," he said."
No comments:
Post a Comment