US Commander: Iraqi Forces Will Be Tested
Lt. General Charles Jacoby, who spoke to McCormick by phone from Baghdad , said the recent surge in attacks across Iraq, and particularly in the capital, was foreseeable.
"I think that was absolutely predictable. We still have some committed adversaries out there," said Jacoby.
But the commander said militants have been going after primarily easy, civilian targets.
"The nature of the attacks is crude. I don't believe that they represent a sustained capability," he said.
Jacoby believes the insurgency wants to do one of two things; "establish a perception that somehow they have forced coalition forces out of the cities — that of course is absolutely not true… and they would like to discredit the government of Iraq and their security forces."
"I think that the testing of the Iraqi security forces will go on for some time," he predicted, warning that there are still combatants scattered across the country.
However, Jacoby repeatedly praised the progress made by Iraq's national security forces, calling their transformation under U.S. tutelage "remarkable".
"While we remain concerned, we're still vey optimistic that the Iraqi security forces will keep the violence down," he said.
Jacoby explained that the primary focus of U.S. forces will now be to make sure they are in "the right posture" to rapidly assist the Iraqis — if and when they are called upon to do so.
He said the American military will still be able to provide "some of the more sophisticated capabilities that we bring to the table."
Jacoby emphasized that the partnership between the Iraqi and U.S. security forces is still strong, and that implementation of the Iraq-mandated urban withdrawal was merely the Iraqis stepping up and saying, "I got it."