- Title: IRAQ: Iraq commander says no US support needed since withdrawal
- Date: 22nd July 2009
- Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JULY 20, 2009) (REUTERS) MAJOR-GENERAL ABBOUD QANBAR, COMMANDER OF IRAQI FORCES IN BAGHDAD, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAJOR GENERAL ABBOUD QANBAR, COMMANDER OF IRAQI FORCES IN BAGHDAD, SAYING: "Initially in Baghdad, there were 32,000 U.S. fighters inside Baghdad. 32,000 American member, fighter or soldier in Baghdad. Now, they are all on the outskirts of Baghdad, all of them have left Baghdad." QANBAR SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAJOR GENERAL ABBOUD QANBAR, COMMANDER OF IRAQI FORCES IN BAGHDAD SAYING: "God willing, we do not need any support because our security forces have been trained and armed well. Our forces are now experienced in combating terrorism." REPORTERS SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAJOR GENERAL ABBOUD QANBAR, COMMANDER OF IRAQI FORCES IN BAGHDAD SAYING: "In the centre of Baghdad, all that's left are forces observing, co-ordinating and capable of monitoring the enemy, through cameras and balloons groups. They are in Baghdad inside eight security stations with 17 technicians in each, doing surveillance work." QANBAR SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAJOR GENERAL ABBOUD QANBAR, COMMANDER OF IRAQI FORCES IN BAGHDAD SAYING: "If the terrorist groups do something our forces can't handle, the agreement (with U.S. forces) allows us to ask for help from the Americans that are based outside the cities." MORE OF QANBAR SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAJOR GENERAL ABBOUD QANBAR, COMMANDER OF IRAQI FORCES IN BAGHDAD SAYING: "At the beginning of (Operation) Imposing Law in 2007, there were areas in Baghdad, two-thirds of Baghdad was under the control of terrorists. In these areas, there was no presence for the army or units from the interior ministry. Now, thanks God and since August 2008, our forces have deployed within the boundaries of our new responsibilities, which extended to north of Baghdad, west of Abu Ghraib and south of Baghdad." QANBAR SPEAKING TO REPORTERS
- Embargoed: 6th August 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Iraq
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Defence / Military
- Reuters ID: LVA7JPQDIHYM32QX2DIB6R8O2OGO
- Story Text: The Iraqi commander in Baghdad said on Monday (July 20) he had not had to draw on U.S. combat troops for support since their withdrawal last month and said the number of U.S. soldiers staying behind as advisors was "in the hundreds".
Major-General Abboud Qanbar, commander of Iraqi forces in Baghdad, said in an interview that he had told U.S. combat troops who moved out to bases on Baghdad's outskirts that they must not conduct any patrols in the city.
U.S. combat troops pulled out of bases in city and town centres at the end of June, the first phase of a gradual withdrawal by 2012 laid out under a bilateral security pact.
The pact leaves room for U.S. combat troops to return to cities at the request of the Iraqi government.
"Initially in Baghdad, there were 32,000 U.S. fighters inside Baghdad. 32,000 American member, fighter or soldier in Baghdad. Now, they are all on the outskirts of Baghdad, all of them have left Baghdad," Qanbar said.
He added, "God willing, we do not need any support because our security forces have been trained and armed well. Our forces are now experienced in combating terrorism."
When asked about reports that U.S. forces had been ordered not to conduct urban patrols, he said: "In the centre of Baghdad, all that's left are forces observing, co-ordinating and capable of monitoring the enemy, through cameras and balloons groups. They are in Baghdad inside eight security stations with 17 technicians in each, doing surveillance work."
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, facing elections in January next year, has staked his reputation on being the man who helped bring security to Iraq and restore its sovereignty.
Some 130,000 U.S. troops remain in the country.
Maliki declared June 30 "Sovereignty Day" and made it a national holiday. The pullback shows how far Iraq has come since it was nearly torn apart by tit-for-tat sectarian killing in 2006 and 2007, but many Iraqis fear their own forces are not yet capable of handling security without U.S. firepower.
Violence has fallen sharply but bomb attacks remain common.
A Washington Post report suggested that some U.S. commanders have doubts about the way the Iraqis seem determined to make them invisible -- even when doing so might increase the risk of militant attacks -- suggesting this was a cause of friction.
Qanbar refused to be drawn on this, saying only that both must stick to what they agreed.
He said the only American movements in the cities, apart from convoys transporting advisors or technical staff and U.S. bomb disposal teams, were those supplying food, water, equipment and logistical support to Iraqi or remaining U.S. soldiers.
"If the terrorist groups do something our forces can't handle, the agreement (with U.S. forces) allows us to ask for help from the Americans that are based outside the cities," he said.
"At the beginning of (Operation) Imposing Law in 2007, there were areas in Baghdad, two-thirds of Baghdad was under the control of terrorists. In these areas, there was no presence for the army or units from the interior ministry. Now, thanks God and since August 2008, our forces have deployed within the boundaries of our new responsibilities, which extended to north of Baghdad, west of Abu Ghraib and south of Baghdad," he said.
Qanbar pointed to a Shi'ite pilgrimage last week in Baghdad, a favourite past target for attacks by Sunni Islamist militants like al Qaeda, as an example of how capable Iraqi forces are.
The pilgrimage to the Kadhimiya shrine was possible because of heavy security with no explosions on site -- although insurgents did kill at least one pilgrim and wounded others elsewhere. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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