Odierno: a secure Baghdad will take time

Photo By Staff Sgt. Curt Cashour | Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, left, commander of Multi-National Corps - Iraq, meets with...... read more read more

Photo By Staff Sgt. Curt Cashour | Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, left, commander of Multi-National Corps - Iraq, meets with officials from Iraq's national police and civil defense directorate Feb. 28, at the New Baghdad Joint Security Station. Manned by both American and Iraqi security forces, the security station is one of 32 U.S. and Iraqi forces will erect as part of the Baghdad Security Plan. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Curt Cashour, MNC-I Public Affairs)  see less | View Image Page

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

03.02.2007

Courtesy Story

28th Public Affairs Detachment

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28

By Sgt. Curt Cashour
MNC-I Public Affairs

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq – Two weeks into a joint U.S. and Iraqi effort to secure Baghdad, the man responsible for day to day command of coalition troops in Iraq said there are early signs of success, but the operation will take a minimum of six to nine months.

In a Feb. 28 interview via satellite, Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of Multi-National Corps – Iraq, told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that he has already seen some signs of progress, but success of the Baghdad Security Plan, will come over a period of months not weeks.

The plan, dubbed Fardh al-Qanoon in Arabic, which translates to "enforcing the law," will pair existing American and Iraqi forces in the area with three fresh American brigades and an influx of Iraqi security forces.

The second American brigade is in the process of deploying and 18 Iraqi battalions have already arrived in the city, Odierno said, adding that Iraqi leaders have shown progress even in the plan's initial stages.

"They're learning about how to deploy their forces. They understand now what it takes to get them here at a certain amount of strength. And we're seeing significant improvement in that as we continue to move forward," he said.

Readiness of the Iraqi battalions is rising steadily. The first seven units arrived in Baghdad manned anywhere between 55 and 65 percent. The next seven were staffed between 65 and 85 percent of capacity. The last four that are deploying are all staffed at over 95 percent strength, Odierno said.

Additionally, Odierno said the government of Iraq is training 7,500 Soldiers every five weeks as replacements for the units already deployed to Baghdad.

Success in Fardh al-Qanoon hinges on tamping down the violence in Baghdad using an even handed approach toward both Sunni and Shiite extremists and maintaining security for an extended period. This will enable the government of Iraq and its fledgling security forces to continue to mature and take control of the country, Odierno said, acknowledging that past operations in the city have tended to result in only short lived reductions in violence.

The plan involves more than just military solutions, however, and will also depend on efforts by Iraq's government to integrate the country's various sects into the political process and members of Iraq's militias into the country's security forces, Odierno said.

"This is about understanding who's reconcilable and who's not reconcilable. Those who operate against the government of Iraq will continue to be targets of coalition forces," he said.

Odierno also spoke of recent successes in al Anbar province. Coalition forces and members of Iraq's central government are working closely with tribal leaders there to rid the area of al Qaeda operatives. It seems the terrorist group's barbaric behavior, which included intimidation campaigns and raping women and children, was simply too much for residents of the province, Odierno said.

The increased cooperation in al Anbar has resulted in major recruiting success for Iraqi security forces. More than 1,000 Anbar residents have joined the Iraqi Army or police in each of the last three months - the largest number of recruits in that area to date.

Iranian influence in Iraq continues to be seen in the form of sophisticated Explosively Formed Projectiles, the deadliest method of attack against coalition forces, Odierno said.

"The machining required, the materials that are required, we think absolutely are coming from Iran," he said, adding that attempts by extremists to produce such weapons inside Iraq have been unsuccessful.

Even though a finance and supply network seems to exist between the Iranian military's al Quds unit and Shiite extremists in Iraq, Odierno said coalition forces will address the problem only from within Iraq's borders.

"If they come into Iraq, and we believe they're acting against the government of Iraq, we'll take action, no matter who it is," he said.