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Deal Near for Iraqi Patrol in Fallujah
The U.S. military is in a "step by step effort" to train an Iraqi force to patrol the besieged city of Fallujah, the U.S. military's top general in the region said Friday. But he cautioned it was an opportunity, not a final agreement, and said Iraqis must still meet conditions.
"It's a possible breakthrough," Gen. John Abizaid said of efforts by U.S. commanders in Iraq on a deal to have a battalion of Iraqi soldiers handle security within Fallujah. "But certainly the conditions that must be met are foremost in our minds." Earlier, a senior defense official in Washington, speaking on condition of anonymity, had said a deal was reached by U.S. commanders inside Iraq to have the brigade led by Maj. Gen. Jassim Mohammed Saleh, a veteran of Saddam's Republican Guard. Abizaid refused to confirm Saleh's leadership, or provide any details. The senior defense official said the Fallujah Brigade will consist of former Iraqi officers and enlisted soldiers in the Fallujah area who volunteer and are vetted by U.S. authorities. The official contended that no representative of the insurgents who are holed up inside the city was part of the agreement. Speaking of past efforts to put Iraqis into leadership positions in the Iraqi military, Abizaid said: "The most important lesson we've learned from this is we must have reliable Iraqi leadership."
Posted by: Steve 2004-04-30 |
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