US commander says no military solution to Iraq

BAGHDAD, Mar 8 (Reuters) U S and Iraqi security forces can not solve the problem of violence in Iraq without political action from Iraqi leaders and reconciliation with disaffected groups, the US commander in Iraq said today.

General David Petraeus, in his first news conference in Baghdad since he took command last month, said there had been important political progress in recent weeks but more needed to be done to reconcile the country's divisions.

''There is no military solution to a problem like that in Iraq, to the insurgency of Iraq,'' Petraeus said.

''Military action is necessary to help improve security ...

but it is not sufficient.'' He said political progress would require talking to and reconciling with ''some of those who have felt the new Iraq did not have a place for them''.

REUTERS AKJ HT1507