Iraq 'dire' but not hopeless: New US commander

Washington, Jan 24: The situation in Iraq is ''dire'' but can still be turned around with the planned deployment of more US troops, President George W Bush's choice to take command of the war today said.

Army Lt Gen David Petraeus told the US Senate Armed Services Committee that progress would take time, even with the increase of more than 21,000 troops announced by Bush this month in an effort to halt spiraling violence.

''None of this will be rapid. The way ahead will be neither quick nor easy and there undoubtedly will be tough days,'' Petraeus told the committee.

''The situation in Iraq is dire. The stakes are high. There are no easy choices. The way ahead will be very hard,'' added Petraeus, who won widespread praise for stabilizing the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in 2003.

''But hard is not hopeless.'' Petraeus said adding extra soldiers to a force of around 130,000 would allow US troops to take a far more active role in providing security to Iraqis, especially in Baghdad.

Until now, US forces have placed more emphasis in handing over security duties to Iraqi forces.

But US commanders have concluded that Iraqi troops were not ready for that task in many cases, although Petraeus stressed the operation to secure Baghdad would be conducted jointly with Iraqi soldiers and police.

''I do believe that at this point our presence can help and is needed,'' Petraeus said.

Bush has nominated Petraeus, who has led the US Army's 101st Airborne Division and holds a doctorate in international relations from Princeton University, to take over from Gen George Casey as the top commander in Iraq.

Casey has been nominated to become the Army's chief of staff.

Senators from both parties praised Petraeus, who also served in Iraq as head of U.S. efforts to train local security forces, and he is expected to win Senate confirmation easily. But several voiced doubts about Bush's plan.

''You talk about this being a race against the clock but I wonder if the clock has already run out,'' said Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine.

Reuters

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