NYT: Iraqi Premier Admits Errors In Introducing Security Plan In Baghdad

[Hissyspit]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/07/world/middleeast/07iraq.html

Iraqi Premier Admits Errors in Introducing Security Plan in Baghdad

By MARC SANTORA
Published: February 7, 2007
BAGHDAD, Feb. 6 — Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki acknowledged for the first time on Tuesday that his government had stumbled in its efforts to carry out a new security plan in Baghdad and that the delays and mounting violence were hurting its credibility with the Iraqi people.

“I feel that we are late,” he said in an address to his senior military commanders that was broadcast live on Iraqi national television. “This delay is giving a negative impression and has led some people to say that we have already failed.”

Pressure is increasing on the Maliki government to show signs of progress on the security plan that was announced more than a month ago, especially after three weeks of bloody violence that has killed 3,000 civilians. Mr. Maliki made it clear to the commanders that they needed to show results soon. “I call on you to quickly finish the preparations so that we don’t disappoint people,” he said.

Mr. Maliki offered no reasons for the delay, but Iraqi military officials have expressed frustration over the slow pace and have cited several problems, including the failure of Iraqi troops from other parts of the country to arrive on schedule in Baghdad, the capital.

- snip -

On Tuesday, few signs indicated that anything had changed on the streets of Baghdad, aside from some new checkpoints scattered around the city. An aggressive clearing operation began Tuesday night in a Sunni neighborhood in eastern Baghdad. Iraqi officials said it was part of the new crackdown, but similar operations have been under way for weeks.

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[babylonsister]

1. Maliki wants out alive. Our admin is doing this, I have no doubt, to push the

'surge'. The one where the soldiers don't have enough equipment?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2719684

[annabanana]

2. The "surge" has already failed?

I mean "failed" as in we can already talk about it being "failed"? How typical. The Senate is still arguing about whether or not they will argue about whether or not they "like" the idea of a surge...

and on the ground....

more dead.

Of course "the surge" was not really and change, tactically. It just puts American soldiers, in small groups, in the middle of larger groups of Iraqi "soldiers" (whoever they are, from wherever).