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Source: Reuters -
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The top US commander in Iraq said on Monday the time is right
for American forces to pull out of Iraqi cities and expressed
confidence in the ability of Iraq's security forces to take more
control.
US troops already were out of the Iraq's cities before Wednesday's
deadline after slowly withdrawing over the last eight months and
"overall stability in Iraq remains good," General Ray Odierno said
on FOX News Sunday.
The US pull-out from Iraqi cities is a major step as, six years
after the invasion to topple Saddam Hussein, the United States
increasingly turns over control to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's
Shi'ite Muslim-led government.
The handover falls under a security pact that requires US forces
to withdraw completely by 2012.
"From a military and security standpoint it's time for us to move
out of the cities," Odierno said in another interview on CNN's
State of the Union.
US forces will "still be conducting significant operations outside
of the cities, in the belts of the major cities, and I still
believe this will enable us to maintain the current security and
stability situation here in Iraq," Odierno said on CNN.
Violence in Iraq has declined over the past year, but tensions have
risen in recent days with a spate of deadly bombings leading up to
the June 30 deadline.
"I think there are some extremist elements who are trying to bring
attention to their movement that's been fractured," Odierno said on
CNN of the bombings.
"They're trying to use this time frame and this date to first gain
attention for themselves and also to divert attention from the
success of the Iraqi security forces."
Odierno said he has seen less interference from Iran, which is
often accused of arming and funding Shi'ite militias in Iraq, and
attributed that to the improved capability of Iraq's security
forces.
Asked if there were concerns Iran would try to fill in a gap after
US forces leave, Odierno said on FOX, "My assessment here is that
Iraqis want to control their own destiny. They don't want anybody
else filling that gap."
He said he had more confidence than ever in the Iraqi security
forces and believed the United States would be able to keep "the
situational awareness" needed to protect US forces as it turns over
more security responsibility to Iraq.
