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Bush Nominee: New Actions Needed in Iraq
Stabilizing Iraq will require "new and different actions" to improve security and promote political reconciliation, the Navy admiral poised to lead American forces in the Middle East said Tuesday. Adm. William Fallon, at his confirmation hearing, also told the Senate Armed Services Committee that it may be time to "redefine the goals" in Iraq. And he said he believes Iran would like to limit America's influence in the region. "I believe the situation in Iraq can be turned around, but time is short," he said.Fallon, 62, who currently is commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, said he saw a need for a comprehensive approach to Iraq, including economic and political actions to resolve a problem that requires more than military force. "What we have been doing has not been working," he said. "We have got to be doing, it seems to me, something different." Fallon said that "we probably erred in our assessment" of the Iraqi government's ability to rebuild its society and establish a peaceful order after the overthrow of President Saddam Hussein nearly four years ago. "One of the things in the back of my mind that I'd like to get answered is to meet with the people that have been working this issue particularly our ambassadors, our diplomats to get an assessment of what's realistic and what's practical," Fallon said. "And maybe we ought to redefine the goals here a bit and do something that's more realistic in terms of getting some progress and then maybe take on the other things later," he added. Posted by: Fred 2007-01-31 |
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