.US general: Iraqis lead security ops 'across the country'
WASHINGTON — Iraqi forces are leading security efforts "across the country," including on most counterterrorism operations, the top US general in Iraq said Friday.
US commander in Iraq General Ray Odierno said he has been impressed with the performance of the war-scarred nation's top security leadership and their charges, and that while they often partner with US forces, "they are getting more and more ready to take over full control of security" as American troops drawn down.
"Iraqi security forces have continued to take more and more responsibility and are in fact in the lead now across the country, for security, and they have been now for the last couple months," Odierno told reporters in Washington.
"The Iraqis are in the lead, we are not."
There are currently 88,000 US troops on the ground, but the United States is in the midst of a dramatic drawdown as it shifts its focus away from Iraq and towards the US-led effort in Afghanistan.
President Barack Obama has ordered the withdrawal of all combat troops from Iraq by September 1, with the US force due to decline to 50,000. Under a security agreement with Baghdad, all US forces must pull out by the end of 2011.
Odierno stressed, as did Defense Secretary Robert Gates said last month, that the drawdown remained on track, and had not been delayed because of recent violence or delays in forming a new Iraqi government.
"I believe the security situation... will be sustained, even as we withdraw our force, because of the improvement we continue to see in the Iraqi security forces," Odierno said.
"I feel confident we'll be able to transition this in the next 18 months or so."
The combination of US forces, 250,000 Iraqi soldiers and half a million Iraqi police should provide adequate security for Iraq to form a new government, he added.
Iraqi forces have received training and assistance from thousands of American troops and advisors since the US invasion of Iraq more than seven years ago.
According to the security agreement with Baghdad, all US military operations require the accompaniment of Iraqi troops.
Odierno said the Iraqis were even in the lead on some of the most sensitive operations, to rip out deeply entrenched extremist networks such as Al-Qaeda in Iraq.
"Counterterrorism is today an Iraqi-led mission," he said. "Every counterterrorism target that is executed inside of Iraq is approved by the government of Iraq."
Odierno said high-profile attacks and casualty figures in Iraq fell in 2010 to their lowest level since the US invasion, while US and Iraqi forces have detained or killed 34 of the 42 top leaders of Al-Qaeda in Iraq.
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US commander in Iraq General Ray Odierno said he has been impressed with the performance of the war-scarred nation's top security leadership and their charges, and that while they often partner with US forces, "they are getting more and more ready to take over full control of security" as American troops drawn down.
"Iraqi security forces have continued to take more and more responsibility and are in fact in the lead now across the country, for security, and they have been now for the last couple months," Odierno told reporters in Washington.
"The Iraqis are in the lead, we are not."
There are currently 88,000 US troops on the ground, but the United States is in the midst of a dramatic drawdown as it shifts its focus away from Iraq and towards the US-led effort in Afghanistan.
President Barack Obama has ordered the withdrawal of all combat troops from Iraq by September 1, with the US force due to decline to 50,000. Under a security agreement with Baghdad, all US forces must pull out by the end of 2011.
Odierno stressed, as did Defense Secretary Robert Gates said last month, that the drawdown remained on track, and had not been delayed because of recent violence or delays in forming a new Iraqi government.
"I believe the security situation... will be sustained, even as we withdraw our force, because of the improvement we continue to see in the Iraqi security forces," Odierno said.
"I feel confident we'll be able to transition this in the next 18 months or so."
The combination of US forces, 250,000 Iraqi soldiers and half a million Iraqi police should provide adequate security for Iraq to form a new government, he added.
Iraqi forces have received training and assistance from thousands of American troops and advisors since the US invasion of Iraq more than seven years ago.
According to the security agreement with Baghdad, all US military operations require the accompaniment of Iraqi troops.
Odierno said the Iraqis were even in the lead on some of the most sensitive operations, to rip out deeply entrenched extremist networks such as Al-Qaeda in Iraq.
"Counterterrorism is today an Iraqi-led mission," he said. "Every counterterrorism target that is executed inside of Iraq is approved by the government of Iraq."
Odierno said high-profile attacks and casualty figures in Iraq fell in 2010 to their lowest level since the US invasion, while US and Iraqi forces have detained or killed 34 of the 42 top leaders of Al-Qaeda in Iraq.
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