Agreed: Something Needs To Change In Iraq

Whether It's Now Or In The Fall, Both Sides In Congress Say Conditions Must Change

(CBS)  The troops for the "surge" strategy, which started in January, are now all in place. While the Bush administration and congressional Republicans say they are waiting to see how well it will work, critics say that the United States' increased military presence will do little to build a stable Iraq.

Appearing on Face the Nation, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said that members of his party believe judgment of the surge's effectiveness should be withheld until Ambassador Ryan Crocker and Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, deliver a progress report to Congress.

"I think the proper time to really make a serious evaluation of the direction we ought to head is in September," McConnell said.

Crocker, the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have said that the outlook for Iraq is a mixed picture but is not hopeless. Polls show, however, that public support for the war among Americans is dwindling, and violence in Iraq shows no signs of slowing.

Democratic Senator Carl Levin, the Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said now is the time to go a different direction.

Although President Bush vetoed legislation passed by congressional Democrats setting a timetable for withdrawal, Levin said his party will try again to begin an American troop withdrawal. This time, he said, Democrats will be successful because they have support from more frustrated Republicans.

"We are going to be offering an amendment which will, in one form or another, set a timetable for the reduction of American troops starting in about 120 days," Levin told Bob Schieffer. "We have got to change this course. We have got to change the Iraqi mentality [of] thinking that they have got some kind of an open-ended commitment, which is what the president promised them a few months ago."

McConnell said he expects a change in policy to come, but he said he wants to see how the surge strategy works.

"I don't think we'll have the same level of troops, in all likelihood, that we have now," he said. "The Iraqis will have to step up, not only on the political side, but on the military side, to a greater extent."

It is the Iraqi government, McConnell said, that deserves the lions share of the blame for the chaos in Iraq.

"The Iraqi government, so far, has been a big disappointment," he said. "They've not done the things that they know they need to do to hold their country together."

But, former Congressman and chair of the Iraq Study Group, Lee Hamilton, told Schieffer that U.S. forces can't withdraw from Iraq until Iraqi forces can take over responsibility for security.

"Our primary mission today is the surge," Hamilton said. "We're not going to get out of Iraq unless we train better than we have the Iraqi forces and let them take over some of the responsibilities we now have."

McConnell said he thinks there is growing support for the recommendations made by Hamilton and James Baker in the Iraq Study Group report.

Released last year, the report stressed more dialog with regional powers like Syria and Iran while maintaining a strong military presence at Iraq's borders. It recommended against a troop surge.

"There is still no military solution to Iraq," Hamilton said on Face the Nation. "The military plays a hugely important role, but you must have vigorous, robust efforts to get a national reconciliation."

Both Levin and McConnell said that the Iraqi government has failed to live up to its part of the bargain and hasn't assumed control of the country.

"What's required here is for the President of the United States to tell the Iraqi leaders that we're going to begin to reduce our troops as the message to them that the responsibility for their own country is in their hands, not ours," Levin said.

The Iraqi congress is also thinking of taking a two-month summer vacation.

"You cannot do that while our troops are dying and being wounded and your troops are dying and being wounded and your people are being blown up," Levin said.

[ubrew12]

from a commentary by former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev: "The key to understanding the situation - as it appears today and as it appeared one, two or three years ago, indeed as it appeared from Day One of the invasion - is simple. Iraq is occupied by U.S. forces."

The Soviets had their 'Iraq', in Afghanistan. Gorby talks about how they pulled out:
"In 1985, it took a change of leadership in the Soviet Union to recognize the mistake of entangling the USSR in the Afghan conflict. That new Soviet leadership - with me as its president - set the goal of withdrawing from Afghanistan while urging other countries to help in securing peace and stability.

Regrettably, the U.S. government chose to forget its own assurances, as it had on other occasions. Instead of co-operating with all responsible Afghan forces, including President Mohammad Najibullah, the United States favoured the proxies of certain elements in Pakistan.

We had warned our American partners about the long-term dangers of playing this game, but they seemed unaware of those consequences. Finally, when Russia backed out of Afghan affairs, the road to extremism was left wide open. The %u201Cblowback%u201D from those fateful decisions came on a September morning in 2001, in New York and in Washington."

[processorr2]

No!

We must stay the course!

Don't cut and run.

Support the troops.

Freedom ain't free.

Bush is doing an awsome job.

[hsinco-2009]

Agreed: Something Needs To Change In Iraq

If this is the case, then the Republicon memebers of Congress who have enabled the Bu$h Administration to squander our militry, will have to eat a shiite load of crow.

They are currently still supporting Bu$h and cronies failed war of choice policy.

[ioweign]

Processorr2
It is not OUR freedom - it is Iraq's

Even Reagan 'cut and run' in Lebanon

[besscannon-2009]

The war was a mistake, the Iraqi leaders want us to stay because, as long as we are there, U.S. money keeps flowing in. When we leave, it will stop. They know this and are in no hurry to say they are ready to take over. In fact, I don't believe they ever will as long as we keep staying and funding. Uncle Sam is being played again as a benevolent fool. The only way to get out of this useless war is ti LEAVE!

[prinzowhales]

Lee Hamilton is the same worthless creature who helped with the snow job known as "9-11 Report."
I'm sure a man who helped cover-up this crime of 'patriots' is not going to give any credible advice on how to extract the United States from Iraq.

The invasion of Iraq was not a "mistake"--it was a cold and calculated act of aggression based on lie after lie after lie and a psychological warfare operation to generate fear in the hearts of the masses. It was called for in the PNAC documents...it was all but spelt out in the DoD documents on future strategy from when Cheney of Defense Secretary.

To call this bald-faced act of aggression a "mistake" is to in great part exonerate the criminals who perpetrated it--Bush, Cheney, and the Demo-publican Congress, the finance capitalists and the creatures they keep in their 'think tanks'. And, when these swine are dangling from the 14th Street Bridge after the trials for their crimes, that most assuredly won't be a "mistake"!

[wjneill]

Support the troops. Support Iraq. Impeach Cheney. Impeach Bush. Send them to Poland for extraordinary tenderizing.

Otherwise, if you wanna stay the course, get right on down to the nearest Marine Corps or Army recruiting office and enlist for service as a rifleman.

Failing that, refrain from displaying the reality that you are intellectually challenged.

[irishmail42]

Nothing is going to change in Iraq unless or until Bush is no longer President, the Democrats get a veto proof majority in the Congress or some of the wavering Republicans change their minds. I suggest that will happen shortly after Petraeus makes his 'progress' report in September. That means only about 275 to 350 more brave American servicemen will have died for this stupid neocon mistake.

[wjneill]

Support the troops. Support Iraq. Impeach Cheney. Impeach Bush. Send them to Poland for extraordinary tenderizing.

Otherwise, if you wanna stay the course, get right on down to the nearest Marine Corps or Army recruiting office and enlist for service as a rifleman.

Failing that, refrain from displaying the reality that you are intellectually challenged.

[jolsonbear]

Hey Processorr2, you just go ahead and "stay the course" with Bush and Cheney. The rest of us got out of the car long ago when we saw the "road out ahead" sign!

[sandy19731]

Oh my God,

"The Iraqi congress is also thinking of taking a two-month summer vacation"

How many Americans soldiers will die in those two months?

Are they going on vacation in Texas?

[cdfoxtrot]

"Something Needs To Change In Iraq".
Yeah. No sh*t.

[feelfree1]

We must immediately withdraw our soldiers from the illegal, disgraceful, and self-defeating war against Iraq, so that we can concentrate on capturing the illegitimate Bush regime members and collaborators, and in bringing them before a judge to answer charges of treason and war crimes.

Time is running out!

www.ipetitions.com/petition/OutNow

[fredgrad2000]

Is a change coming? We hope so; but to just advocate change without saying WHAT to change isn't helping. Until as a country we're willing to admit that there are outside players involved here who are working against us, and who won't be "redeploying", and we're ready to face them down, things won't get better in Iraq. We're playing by a 3-month time window, Al Qaeda and Iran don't have a timetable, just a goal; make sure we're bloodied and "defeated" so we won't have the cajones to take them on in force - you think the shrine bombing again in Samarra was just a random act!? They know, thanks to our press and Democrats how much longer they have to keep the pressure on and not allow any appreciable signs of progress. Now, I'm not saying this war has been handled well or that, in hindsight, we should have even been there at all!! BUT, there are now key enemies of the US working to their own ends in Iraq, ends that are exactly contrary to our national security interests in the long-run. We cannot JUST reverse our mistake of going in in the first place and have everything "work itself out" in a way that's acceptable. When we leave, Al Qaeda and Iran won't just pack up and head "home" too! Their proxies will kill our allies and create a Hezbollah-style state where Al Qaeda safe havens are accepted in the heart of the Middle East. Change? Sure...but how without giving our two worst enemies a strategic victory that will haunt us for far longer than 4 years?

[fredgrad2000]

Prinzowhales - Go back to the Code Pink website or MoveOn.org. Only you fringe looney lefties espouse these 9/11 and Iraq conspiracy theories.

MOST reasonable Americans now believe Iraq was a mistake because the intel was WRONG, not "cooked" (everyone in the world and all our intelligence personnel BELIEVED Saddam had WMD; and he HAD violated 17 UN resolutions, violated the 1991 cease-fire with the coalition,invaded his neighbors, supported terrorism - particularly in the Palestinian territories, AND used WMD on his neighbors and citizens!) and because the Iraqis have proven to be a weak nation of people who would rather join militias and kill than take the chance for freedom we GAVE them from a genocidal killer.

Your left-wing conspiracy theories, including defaming a DEMOCRAT who has spent his life serving the US (Lee Hamilton), only serve to show your ignorance and your brainwashing by the America-haters. If you hate the US so much, head over to Iran; I hear Ahmadinejad is treating our citizens pretty well these days huh?

[myidoncbs]

fredgrad2000 said, "everyone in the world and all our intelligence personnel BELIEVED Saddam had WMD."

That is complete BS. Anyone who paid any attention knew that Hussein probably did not have any remaining WMD long BEFORE Bush lauched the attack on Iraq. The UN inspectors said Iraq didn't have any WMD. Bush, Cheney, Rice, Powell, and their countless repub supporters all made blatantly, provably false, lies everytime they spoke about Iraq. Just because you were suckered by their lies, don't imagine that everyone else was, too. And don't forget, Wolfowitz publicly admitted that they just decided to use WMD as a "convenient excuse" for starting the war.

[king77shaw]

9/11 Mysteries: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6708190071483512003&q=911+mysteries&hl=en

www.911revisited.com

if 9/11 is continually invoked as the reason for this global madness, then Americans should demand answers to the following questions:

1) why did WTC7 fall? WTC lease holder Larry Silverstein admitted to having the building "pulled" (slang for demolished) - only problem is that it takes weeks at best to prepare a building for demolition. Why did the 9/11 commission fail to even mention the collapse of WTC7-why isn%u2019t it shown on TV? OBVIOUS DEMOLITION!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6QV6LK8j1Q

2) how could the twin towers fall at free fall speeds if we are to believe the "pancake" theory? The buildings fell in 9 seconds! If floors were collapsing into the ones below them there would be slight delay before the lower floor gives. If it were a half a second at each floor that would still be nearly 50 seconds - huge steel beams were being ejected hundreds of feet HORIZONTALLY, concrete was pulverized into fine dust, SQUIBS (well-placed charges) are exploding outward up to 20 floors below the collapse wave. All characteristics of a controlled demolition not collapse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDt3mVlI8mk

[feelfree1]

fredgrad2000,

You are a liar and a coward.

You are a liar because the whole world knew that the case for invading Iraq was intentionally fabricated and false, and this was known ahead of the illegal invasion of Iraq. In fact, on February 15, 2003, more than 30 million people said so publicly and loudly in unison. The 'intelligence' was intentionally fabricated by traitors like Doug Feith with his 'Office of Special Plans'. There is no doubt about this whatsoever.

You are a coward, because you have still not enlisted to fight in this illegal, fraud-based crusade, but rather you continue to insist that others risk their own blood and treasure on your behalf.

I sincerely hope that you are not an American, because if you are, you are a contemptible and craven one, and you disgrace our shores with your presence.

[king77shaw]

it coincidence that the company in charge of security (Securacom/Stratesec) at the WTC and Dulles Airport (where Flight 77 supposedly flew out of) was headed by Marvin Bush (W's little brother) and Wirt Walker ... Marvin left in 2000, Walker left Securacom on 9/10/01 ... hmmm - coincidence - the day before 9/11 ?

[king77shaw]

collapse or controlled demolition ? - look at the photos and you be the judge...

http://911research.wtc7.net/wtc/evidence/photos/wtc2exp2.html

more photos .. collapse or controlled demolition ? how did the beams get shot so far horizontally ? curious ...

http://911research.wtc7.net/wtc/evidence/photos/wtc1nenw.html

[jw218389]

SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE IN WASHINGTON.

We wouldn't be in IRAQNAM if it wasn't for Bush and his oil cronies.

"Containment" works great - remember that little country we never invaded called the USSR???

We didn't need to invade Iraq and we certainly don't need to invade Iran - unless you work for an Oil company....

Impeach Bush/Cheney/Rove Now and save the US Constitition and FREEDOM!!!

[agog2]

Here is something to think about the war in the Middle East, Just how much is it worth to us? If the average human body contains the average of 5.5 quarts of blood and we have already lost over 3505 of our own young men and women. That means the war has cost us 192,777 quarts of our young people%u2019s blood or 45,193.7 gallons, or if you look at the price of oil 1,071 barrels of blood. That figure does not include the blood that was left on the ground from all the wounded troops that we don%u2019t really get those figures from Washington on. Is the war worth it????? I say Hell No. Bring our boys and girls back home.I think that is enough blood to be sacrificed on the BUSH altar of self esteem. Impeach that mad man.

[nativewoman]

Posted by fredgrad2000 at 05:04 PM : Jun 17, 2007

Wrong! The intelligence was there, Bush ignored it.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/24/iraq.missed.warnings.ap/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/08/AR2006090800777.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18854414/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15365157/site/newsweek/

[jeanneke-2009]

King77--There's a lot that wasn't mentioned on the local news chanels--but we sure have found out on our own! I can't help but believe 911 was not a big secret amoung our "leaders".

We have as of today lost 3524 troops-we need to get the axis of evil terrorists out of Washington!

[tylenol6]

Sounds like to me Senator Mitch McConnell stil prefers to wait till September to see if the SURGE
works. How about Mr. McConnell put his own sons
and daughters in Iraq and we will wait to see if
the surge works. Oh by the way, Mr. McConnell hasn't
mentioned that the Iraqi government must do their
Iraqi Oil Law by September also. Meaning, dividing up the oil, HMMMMM........ We can't leave without
that oil!!!!!

[johnshaft4]

McConnell, with your "logic" and "insight", many things are starting to make sense now... We now know know who the REAL father of nut job Paris Hilton is.
So, you think the time for a "serious evaluation" is this Sept., huh? How about "evaluating" 4 YEARS AGO before launching an ill fated invasion/occupation off of distorted, intentionally
manipulated "intellegence*". You simply could not wait to let the UN Inspectors finish their job as Boy Bush's obedient little poodle. Too bad your kids are not one of the 3,500 Americans dead.
*Intelligence is apparently something you and Paris Hilton know very little about. What a pathectic jerk of a little man you are. Worm/Traitor.

[johnshaft4]

P.S. McConnell you even LOOK like a sissy poodle.
Grow a pair or get some shots that will turn you into a man with some semblance of principals instead of being Boy George's lap dog *itch...

[sjc_1]

I recall in late 2005, Republican Congress people saying that 2006 "would be a year of transition", those were their exact words...and they call others duplicitous!

That was suppose to mean that would be changes in Iraq. The changes were in Congress because there were no changes in Iraq. Get it right this time folks, or you will not get another chance for a LONG time to come.

[barbaraf4]

Posted by king77shaw

I am fully prepared to believe that our President and his family were somehow involved in the 9/11 conspiracy; however, I keep coming back to the fact that not one of them, individually or collectively is that smart.

[feelfree1]

barbaraf4,

Re: "I keep coming back to the fact that not one of them, individually or collectively is that smart."

It is a mistake to underestimate these people. They have managed to grab power by way of election fraud, they have duped the American public into accepting lie-based war of aggression, they have wiped their collective arses with our Constitution, they have destabilized the Middle-East for the perceived bennefit of Israel, and they have shifted vast sums of public treasure into the coffers of private oil companies and other war profiteers.

Their 'Mission' has largely been 'Accomplished'.

[smirk5]

Question for Bushies,

If the Repubs sign on to a timetable for withdrawal this fall, will they also be signing on to a date to surrender as was argued in January?

[middleman8]

FREDGRAD2000

You little propaganda fed whimp, are a complete A-R-S-E-H-O-L-E.Stand up for your constitional rights

[sjc_1]

Folks,

The WHOLE thing had to do with the oil companies getting control of Iraqi oil. After they force the Iraqi government to pass this give away, then the deed will be done.

Did it ever occur to anyone why they were outraged that the Iraqi government was going to take a vacation? If they are on vacation, they can not pass the law giving away all their oil rights and putting Iraq on an allowance.

The whole idea of a Constitution and a legislature had nothing to do with democratization and everything to do with making this looting look legitimate.

Wake up people, the REAL motives are so obvious, they are just staring you in the face. But most people are so manipulated by the slight of hand that they do not notice.

[seven-pesos]

never a war the south couldn't lose.

jefferson davis lost his,
johnson lost his
bush will lose his.

the south has lost every war they started.

idiot southern creeps are only good for sunday afternoon parades

in their tight-butt uniforms.

ha,ha,ha.

war, division, arrogance, phony christian creeps, crooked republican snakes...

nothing good comes out of the south!

[prinzowhales]

Fredgrad2000--First, I'm a conservative. Second, if you want someone to go to Code Pink, I suggest you chat with Fearless Leader, he's the one who has the male prostitute over for all nighters according to the White House log. Third, the idea that Saddam had anything to do with 9-11 has been repudiated by the Republican leadership--though Bush and Cheney still like to insinuate the opposite. Fourth, the intelligence was wrong, because it was fabricated. The Niger yellow-cake is the most glaring example of the creative nature of the Neo-con case for war. Marine Major Scott Ritter of the inspections team found no evidence of WMDs. The administration offered them hundreds of leads--AND NONE OF THEM PANNED OUT AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE WMDS WERE MOVED PRIOR TO THE INSPECTORS ARRIVING AS SATELLITE IMAGERY WOULD HAVE REAVEALED IT.

I'm sure the recruiting offices will be open in the morning--they're scrapping the bottom of the barrel to find bodies for the Stupid People's War...even you should qualify.

[seven-pesos]

32% of americans support bush.

32% support war, death, hate and failed right wing policies.

where are these 32% from?

guaranteed you find them all south of the mason-dixon line.

rednecks, war supporters, phony christian snakes, republican snakes...

war, hate, bible thumpers, flag wavers...

nothing good comes out of the south!

[j-whitman]

seven-pesos,,, Be carefull these Bushies will take that as meaning ---- 32% supports Bush + 32% that supports war = 64% of Amreicans, Mission Accomplished

[barbaraf4]

"Their 'Mission' has largely been 'Accomplished'."
Posted by FeelFree1
~~

It is so frightening that the administration's corruption is happening, we see it happening, we discuss it and whine a lot; however, somehow we are paralyzed when it comes to taking steps to correct it.

[feelfree1]

Out now!

www.ipetitions.com/petition/OutNow

sjc - the oil companies have already acted. In Feb, the US and UK pushed a bill thru the Iraq parliament giving US and UK oil companies lucrative rights over oil in Iraq. An angry Iraqi said, "When we control our own country again, the agreement will be rescinded.%u201D
On the floor of the British Parliament, Tony Blair admitted that the bill was in BP%u2019s offices before any Iraqi ever saw it, leading a member to say, %u201CInstead of finding weapons of mass destruction, we are finding weapons of mass production.%u201D

[toolmangler-2009]

nothing good comes out of the south!
Posted by seven-pesos at 09:59 PM : Jun 17, 2007


That shows that you have no understanding of the South. I am from North Carolina and not one of those things you mentioned apply to me. If you were to say that to my face I would rearrange your appearance to my satisfaction.

[nyckate]

Bush first said, wait till report in summer, then he moved that date to, wait for report in September -- and now - he's been saying that US troops will need to remain there for decades as they have in South Korea.

Somewhere in that nitwit's mind is the beginning of the realization that this surge or any other surge is NOT going to work - nothing is going to work there. At this point we don't even control 40% of bagdhad nevermind the country -- the surge started in January - it's now almost 6 months -- and things are not any better and in fact the number of refugees fleeing the country is growing regularily.

Whatever we can do to get out of Iraq one thing is that Mr. Bush and his administration aren't the right ones to do the job - they don't have the clarity of mind, the reason, the knowledge or the brains.

[j-whitman]

Something needs to change all right,,,

These Bushies yelled for months bashing Harry Potter --- They finally saw the movie & think he's real

[micma-2009]

Wow, you Bushies are really fast. It only took you 5 years and 500 billion dollars to realize that something needs to change.

[tbweb]

The voter surge in the 2008 Election Cycle will show them how a real surge works!

[grazinggoat]

CBS News: 'It is the Iraqi government, McConnell said, that deserves the lions share of the blame for the chaos in Iraq.'

- ha! ... ha! ... ha! This McConnel should have worked at McDonald flipping hamburgers. This kinda job fitts better his mental capacity. He may be able to count to 11 -12 and foresee the third clients french fries to be late if he doesn't put them to fry immediately. But this mouse-looking personage is far from competent to foresee a dynamic system of population and interacting since centuries and keeping its course of interaction despite Walking-Liar's intervention in Iraq.

-It's not the Iraqi government to be blamed for what we stirred in the ***-pot of Iraq. Walking-Liar is the prime-personage to be blamed, but before him would come the full-of-*** DinckCheney and his cronies, the GOPigs and devangelists. Ask all Americans.

[iceman_1960]

"It is the Iraqi government, McConnell said, that deserves the lions share of the blame for the chaos in Iraq. "The Iraqi government, so far, has been a big disappointment," he said. "They've not done the things that they know they need to do to hold their country together."

The Iraqi congress is also thinking of taking a two-month summer vacation."

-------------------------------------------

Were they ever given a DEADLINE to get things done ?

There's the problem right there.

Given them an ironclad deadline. Tell them the American troops are leaving by a definite, reasonable date.

Then if they still want to loll by the pool for two months, to h*ell with them.

[iceman_1960]

"It is the Iraqi government, McConnell said, that deserves the lions share of the blame for the chaos in Iraq."

Bush's incompetence and lack of plannning don't deserve much blame ? So it's just like the Katrina aftermath: it was all the fault of the local government, right ?

In your dreams, partisan.

We'll see what the American people have to say about it, when Bush's would-be Republican successor tries that line out on the voters.

[tbweb]

This Iraq war is Vietnam all over again, in the context that the U.S. is doing its part, buying the Iraqi govenment time to get its political and military act together but its not happening. The Iraqis had 4 years and still they crawl along with nothing to really show for the lost of U.S. blood and treasure. I also heard on a Sunday talk show the Iraqis were still considering taking that 2 month vacation, I thought that vacation drama was over and done with but NOT! If the Iraqi government takes that 2 month vacation anyway with U.S. and Iraqi forces dying daily the U.S. should just pull up and leave in my view! They reduced it to 2 weeks at one point but now its back to 2 months! This is the same thing that happened in Vietnam, I was there I know, the U.S. did its part like now, but like Vietnam the U.S. will get the blame and credited with the lost if Iraq falls! The U.S. has given Iraq 4 years or over 3500 killed in action and over 25000 wounded so in September if this nonsense is still not showing significant results on the Iraqi political and military end, I say no more American blood wasted, enough! I think the Iraqi government is jerking the U.S. chain and playing us for fools but soon the joke will be on them because the U.S. commitment is not unlimited. I like Senator Levens threat, reduce the protection around the Green Zone and let the Iraqis do it, lets see how fast they get their act together then! What a waste!

[ramos937]

Someway, somehow, the administration has to finally concede that the Maliki government cannot control the country. The reason for this is simple. The bad guys have been infiltrating the Iraq security forces for years and everybody who can read and listen to the news realizes this.

Let's look at the proof: (1) we have been training these their security forces since 2004. Yet they are nowhere near being trained. (2) our field commanders do not dare to let their Iraq counterparts in on joint operations planning until the very last minutes. If they do, the bad guys will know what we intend to do. (3) IEDS kill/multalate thousands of our guys but very few of the Iraq forces. They know where these are but fail to tell us. (4) One MG once said, we give the Iraiqs funds in cash. Our responsibility ends when they take delivery. The Iraq IG has consistently compiled instance after instance there these funds are not used for their intended military purposes but to enrich Iraq politicians/citizens.

Question - How can we posibly expect the Maliki government to honor its committments while the above conditions exist?