Progress against Baghdad violence limited so far: US general

[maddezmom]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The number two leader of US forces in Iraq, General Raymond Odierno, said Thursday that US and Iraqi troops have not yet made sufficient inroads in their campaign against violence in Baghdad.

"We've made small progress here. We have not made the progress that I think is necessary yet, but I hope over the summer that we will continue to make progress," Odierno told reporters in a teleconference from Iraq.

Odierno acknowledged that the violence had risen again in May compared to April, despite the ongoing US troop increase launched in January.

"But it is still down from what it was when we started this surge operation in January in Baghdad. There are some positive signs," he said.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070531/pl_afp/usiraqunrestmilitary_070531155756

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:eyes:

Last of surge troops arrives in Iraq

WASHINGTON, May 31 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Defense said the last of the surge of 20,000 U.S. troops has arrived in Iraq.
The added troops mean there are some 150,000 U.S. military personnel in Iraq.

The increased troop presence has led to increase casualties, U.S. military officials said, Voice of America reported. The Pentagon reported that as of Wednesday night, 115 American soldiers had been killed in May in Iraq.

"It's been a tough month," U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Perry Wiggins said Wednesday at a Pentagon news conference.

U.S. commanders in Iraq are "starting to see a shift of momentum" that includes more support from Iraqi civilians and a 50 percent drop in insurgent attacks in the western al-Anbar province, Wiggins said in the VOA report.

more:http://www.washingtontimes.com/upi/20070531-111846-7497

[phantom power]

1. limited to zero.

[wakeme2008]

2. No counting today's KIA 123

:grr: great "position signs"

[acmavm]

3. Maybe I don't understand what the word 'limited' means. Because

it sure doesn't jive with anything this guy says.

[Tempest]

4. Holy Joe just got bitchslapped

Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Connecticut independent, is visiting Iraq during the Memorial Day recess and he likes what he sees.

"Overall, I would say what I see here today is progress, significant progress from the last time I was here in December. And if you can see progress in war that means you’re headed in the right direction."

[mikeytherat]

5. Well, let's see:

Total Coalition Casualties:
2007:
January - 86
May - 128

Iraqi Security Forces and Civilian Deaths:
2007:
January - 1802
May - 1904

http://icasualties.org/oif/

Yeah, since January, it's nothing but blue skies and sunshine! Just look at the progress!

mikey_the_rat

[maddezmom]

6. Iraq surge deadline may be too early -US commander

Iraq surge deadline may be too early -US commander

WASHINGTON, May 31 (Reuters) - A September deadline for an official military assessment of President George W. Bush's troop buildup in Iraq could come too early to be a true measure of the strategy, the No. 2 commander in Iraq said on Thursday.

Army Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno also said the U.S. military hoped to reach cease-fire agreements with Iraqi insurgents, amid concern that violence could flair this summer as the so-called U.S. troop surge reaches its full momentum in Baghdad.

The top U.S. operational commander in Iraq told reporters that the full impact of the surge will likely come in August -- a month before the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, is to report on the effects of the 30,000-troop buildup aimed at securing Baghdad.

The September report is widely viewed as a watershed for the unpopular U.S.-led war, with Democrats and some Republicans saying they could back a troop withdrawal absent evidence of progress.

more:http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N31220099.htm