Fil: Iraqis needed to secure gains

[unhappycamper]

Fil: Iraqis needed to secure gains
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, September 22, 2007

ARLINGTON, Va. — U.S. and Iraqi forces control more than half of Baghdad’s 474 neighborhoods, but more Iraqi security forces are needed to hold on to them, the commander of Multi-National Division-Baghdad said Friday.

Army Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Fil Jr. told reporters that 46 percent of Baghdad’s neighborhoods are classified as under control, and another 8 percent are in the “retain” phase, meaning Iraqi security forces are in the lead. Another 30 percent of Baghdad’s neighborhoods are in the clearance phase.

That leaves 16 percent of the neighborhoods — including much of north Baghdad — still classified as in “disruption,” Fil said. By comparison, 70 percent of the city’s neighborhoods were classified that way in February.

Fil said he expects Iraqi security forces to take the lead in more of Baghdad over time, but he also thinks additional Iraqi security forces are needed to clear insurgents from all the neighborhoods.

“Are the Iraqi security forces sufficient to truly protect the city? I do not think they are, and that is why the government of Iraq has determined that we need to increase those forces, and the police forces alone will increase by more than 12,000 over time,” he said

Fil said he is confident that Iraqi security forces will be strong enough to take the lead in neighborhoods now under U.S. control after the “surge” winds down next year.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=48935


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http://www.army.mil/-quotes/2007/01/04/1221-maj-gen-joseph-f-fil-jr-quote/



Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Fil Jr., commander, Multi-National Division-Baghdad and the 1st Cavalry Division, in a New Year's message to his Soldiers.

Jan 04, 2007
BY Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Fil Jr.

We all take the freedoms we enjoy as Americans for granted until we leave the comfort of our homes and see the simple truth, here in Iraq, that freedom isn't free. In the short time since we've been here we completed a seamless transition of authority, worked tirelessly to assist the good people of Iraq, we've fought a ruthless enemy and witnessed the first transition of provincial control to the citizens of Najaf.