Region | Iraq
Iraq 'needs a common vision' for the future
In a free-wheeling chat with Gulf News, General Odierno shared some of his thoughts on the overall scenario in Iraq and the on-going peace process.
- By Mayada Al Askari, Staff Writer
- Published: 00:07 October 2, 2008
- Image Credit: AP file
- General Raymond Odierno (left) exchanges greetings with Iraqi tribal leaders and citizens in the village of Quarghuli, about 20km south of Baghdad.
Recently General David Petraeus handed over the command of the multinational forces in Iraq to General Raymond Odierno. While there has been a remarkable decline in the violence in Iraq over the last few months, the peace process in the war-ravaged nation is still believed to be very fragile.
In a free-wheeling chat with Gulf News, General Odierno shared some of his thoughts on the overall scenario in Iraq and the on-going peace process. Following are excerpts.
Gulf News: How fragile is the peace situation in Iraq? Are we going to witness a collapse of the current situation in the near future?
Gen. raymond Odierno: Iraq has moved on from being a failed state in 2006 to a fragile state today. Our intent is to help Iraq develop into a stable state. Iraq is fragile today because there is not a national vision for the country; public service provision is poor and Al Qaida and the Special Groups are still capable of conducting terrorist activities. We are encouraging Iraqi leaders to come together to develop a common vision for the future.
They need to agree to the nature of the state [federal or otherwise], the degree of power sharing between the centre and the provinces, budget allocation, internal boundaries and sharing the oil wealth. Next year, the Iraqis will have the opportunity to choose their leaders at both the provincial and national levels. This is important for showing that differences can be resolved through politics. We continue to assist the Iraqi government to build up its security force capacity and its capacity to deliver public services. The latter is crucial because it is in the impoverished and neglected areas that discontent grows and terrorists are able to recruit followers.
The US's strategic ally, Ahmad Al Challabi, announced last week that the US had plans to maintain its secret military bases in Iraq. Your comments ...
US Ambassador Ryan Crocker made it very clear in June that the US was not seeking permanent bases in Iraq. Our goal is to help this government in Iraq to exercise full sovereignty and clearly not to maintain a large force in the distant future.
The US and the Iraqi governments are yet to reach an agreement on the deadline for the US army to pull out of Iraq. When do you think a total pull-out will occur.
What I owe the President of the US is my recommendation based on my assessment of the mission here in Iraq. I will present my first assessment to the incoming administration sometime in early 2009, likely after the provincial elections, and recommend whether or not we can further reduce troops from Iraq. It is very difficult to speak with precision on a long-term basis on this.
There is talk about disputes between the US and Iraqi sides over the strategic agreement to be signed between the two countries. These disputes are over issues such as the laws that govern private contractors, US troops and other related matters. Your comments ...
We must have a legal framework to continue to operate in Iraq and our legal framework ends on 31 December this year. I'm hoping that the teams now on the ground will be able to work on an agreement with the Government of Iraq. The Status of Forces Agreement (Sofa) is a bilateral agreement between two sovereign nations. Sofa will help normalise relations between the US and Iraq and remove Iraq from Chapter VII status.
Will the US troops train Iraqi soldiers after the agreement between the two countries is signed? And will the Iraqi troops be asked to join the US troops in operations outside Iraq?
We will continue to train the Iraqi security forces for as long as the government needs our assistance. Obviously we'll have to wait for the specifics of any agreement and you would have to talk to the people involved in the negotiations for the details. We assist in training now and provide a wide-range of advise. We look forward to the day when Iraq - like other sovereign nations - will contribute its forces to international peace-keeping missions.
Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Al Mashadani has declared that Iraq is not capable of signing a strategic agreement with the US because it is a country under occupation. What is your take on that?
I believe that a Status of Forces agreement is a positive development for Iraq. Negotiations are currently under way to establish a future legal framework that enables us to operate here. I am hopeful the negotiating teams now in Iraq can arrive at an agreement.
Which is more reliable and strong from your point of view, the Iraqi defence forces or the Iraqi police?
Iraqi security forces have grown in capability and capacity and have proven their ability to conduct successful operations. The Iraqi army now operates throughout the country and has taken a lead role in many areas for providing security. The Iraqi police and National Police also continue to grow and show great improvements in maintaining peace in areas once riddled with violence. Direct comparisons in an overall sense are not useful because the size of each force means there are differences across the country within the army and police forces themselves.
The huge accomplishment of General David Petraeus and you is that you both worked hard and succeeded in pushing away the nightmares of a civil war in Iraq. Today, there is a map that shows Baghdad as an area almost empty of Sunnis. What do you think of this demographic shift and don't you think that this in itself will lead to friction and more bloodshed in the future?
During the last couple of years - and particularly after the destruction of the Samarra mosque - there has been considerable displacement, especially in Baghdad. We do not have precise details of who has been displaced from where. However, we are beginning to observe a steady trickle of Iraqis returning to their homes. And in mixed neighbourhoods, local leaders have set up reconciliation committees to help with the reintegration of the displaced back to their homes. There is financial support to those returning to their homes.
What are your priorities? Fighting Al Qaida, warding off sectarianism, backing the political process, stability and peace, the displaced people's portfolio, or other issues?
My priority is to help Iraq achieve its full sovereignty and ensure Iraq moves from a fragile state to a stable state. Coalition forces will continue to pursue Al Qaida and Special Groups that are focused on disrupting progress in Iraq. We will also continue to train and equip the internal security forces in order for them to become self-sufficient in providing security. Coalition forces will continue to support the Government as it addresses the key issues such as essential services [water, electricity, waste management].
We will assist, as requested, during the upcoming elections in Iraq, but let's be clear - the elections are solely an Iraqi enterprise.
What is the legal status of Al Sahwa members today [the Sons of Iraq]? Do you think they will be back to square one if they are not embraced by the Iraqi government?
From yesterday, the Iraqi government has taken the responsibility for integrating SOI members, beginning predominantly in and around Baghdad, into internal security and other services.
The Iraqi Prime Minister understands the importance of this issue. He has issued very specific guidance to his subordinate leaders in the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Interior on integrating the SOI members into Iraqi security forces.
The situation in Diyala is still very cloudy and there are heavy Al Qaida "pockets" in the area. How safe is Diyala in your opinion?
Diyala still has problems with Al Qaida attempting to maintain and re-energise their presence there. However, the coalition forces and Iraqi security forces continue to put pressure on them, disrupting their safe havens and cutting off their supply lines. Like other areas in northern Iraq, Al Qaida is now on the run in Iraq, with fewer places to hide.
The Governor of Dhi-Qar said the members of the "Special Groups" enter through Iran in big numbers every day. There have been US statements to the effect that the Iranians will carry out political assassinations in Iraq before the elections. Why hasn't the Iraq-Iran boarder been secured yet?
Iraqi security forces and coalition forces continuously patrol the border and man control points.
However, the border between Iraq and Iran is vast. While it is impossible to monitor every possible entry point, Iraqi security forces and coalition forces continue to capture and stop many extremist elements attempting to cross the border.
What is the situation with Al Qaida in Iraq today? Are they really much weaker than before?
Al Qaida's effectiveness has decreased over the last 18 months ... However, they still remain a threat. They have fewer places to hide, but they are still carrying out terrorist activities. The Iraqi people are not passively supporting them to live and operate freely in their areas. The will of the people helped to drive them out and it is critical they continue to keep them out by alerting the Iraqi security forces and the coalition forces of their presence.
The Ministry of Interior has prepared a women's force to help in containing the problem of women suicide bombers. To what extent do you think this will work?
The coalition forces have also used special teams comprising women to specifically frisk females at checkpoints. This proved to be useful in finding weapons and explosives that would have gone unnoticed.
I will present my first assessment in early 2009, likely after the provincial elections, and recommend whether or not we can further reduce troops from Iraq.
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