US Commander in Iraq Optimistic About Security Plan
By VOA News
19 January 2007
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, left, meets with Gen. George Casey, right, in Basra, 19 Jan 07
The outgoing U.S. military commander in Iraq says he thinks it will be July or August before a new Iraqi-U.S. security plan will make Baghdad safe.
Casey said if conditions allow, the more than 20,000 U.S. reinforcements being sent to Iraq could start to return home by that time.
But he said the new security operation should show some results in the next 60 to 90 days.
General George Casey made the remarks after holding talks Friday, in the southern Iraqi city of Basra with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
Gates said Iraq is at a pivotal moment, and that failure to improve security would be a calamity for U.S. interests.
Gates made his unannounced visit to Iraq to meet with U.S. and coalition military commanders.
Gates was conferring with Major General Jonathan Shaw, the commander of British forces headquartered in Basra, and commanders from Poland, Australia, Denmark and Romania.
Hours before Gates arrived in Basra, six British soldiers were wounded in a series of rocket attacks on their base.
Gates is on his second trip to Iraq since becoming U.S. defense secretary last month and his first since President Bush announced his new strategy for Iraq.
Gates traveled to Iraq after a tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain aimed at rallying support for the new U.S. Iraq security plan.
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