By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer Fri Sep 7, 4:32 AM ET
WASHINGTON - Reports that offer a bleak picture of Iraq's political climate and the performance of its security forces are providing fresh impetus for Democrats calling for U.S. troop withdrawals. An independent panel led by retired Marine Gen. James Jones recommended that the Iraqis assume more control of their nation's security and that U.S. forces, seen as an occupying and permanent force, should step back. Its report, presented to Congress on Thursday, contended that "significant reductions, consolidations and realignments would appear to be possible and prudent."
The Jones panel also found that Iraq's security forces would be unable to take control in the next 12 months to 18 months and recommended that its national police force be scrapped and entirely rebuilt because of corruption and sectarianism.
The Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, reported Tuesday that Iraq has failed to meet 11 of its 18 political and security goals. The agency's head, U.S. Comptroller David Walker, was scheduled to appear Friday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to discuss the report.
Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said he will recommend to Congress on Monday a gradual reduction of forces beginning in the spring and acknowledged that the slow pace of political progress in Baghdad had frustrated him, The Boston Globe reported in Friday editions.
"Based on the progress our forces are achieving, I expect to be able to recommend that some of our forces will be redeployed without replacement," Petraeus told the Globe in a series of e-mails. "That will, over time, reduce the total number of troops in Iraq. The process will take time, but we want to be sure to maintain the security gains that coalition and Iraqi forces have worked so hard to achieve."
The force reduction Petraeus expected would come as the five additional brigades deployed to Iraq as part of the current increase in troops ended their tours of duty over the spring and summer and were not replaced, the Globe said.
The Associated Press reported earlier this week that administration officials said Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker recommended to President Bush that he stand by his current war strategy and that Bush was unlikely to order more than a symbolic reduction in troops by year's end.
Sen. John McCain, a member of the Armed Services Committee who is seeking the GOP nomination for president, reiterated his belief that commanders in the field should determine troop levels.
"There's a lot of people who are armchair generals who reside here in the air-conditioned comfort of Capitol Hill who somehow do not trust the judgment of some of the finest leaders that our nation has produced," McCain, R-Ariz., said Thursday.
Another committee member and presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, joined fellow Democrats expressing skepticism that the Iraqis will reach the necessary political consensus without incentive.
"At the end of the day, we have to make judgments on whether or not we believe continuing military presence by American troops — whether they're in Iraq for a day, a year or 10 years — will make any difference to the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people," Clinton said.
Clinton sent a letter to Bush asking him to address 20 questions in his upcoming assessment on Iraq, including why the troop buildup has not prompted a political settlement.
The Jones panel's finding that the U.S. should reduce its visibility in Iraq is not necessarily at odds with the Bush administration. Bush long has said the combat mission must be transferred to the Iraqis as soon as they can take over and security conditions improve.
But the study suggests that lowering the profile of U.S. forces is a precondition to improving security conditions. It also says helpful "adjustments" could begin in early 2008.
U.S. troop levels — currently at a record 168,000 — are expected to hit a high of 172,000 in the coming weeks, the Pentagon said Thursday.
When asked by McCain whether he would support a deadline for troop withdrawals, Jones said he would not.
"I think deadlines can work against us," Jones said. "I think a deadline of this magnitude would be against our national interest."
