Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Former Top Commander Of U.S. Forces In Iraq Urges Patience

Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh, Sheila Casey and former Army Chief of Staff retired Gen. George W. Casey Jr., unveil Casey's official portrait at the Pentagon, Sept. 27, 2011. Army.mil

Ex-U.S. General Urges Patience on Iraq -- Wall Street Journal

Retired Army Gen. George Casey, the top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq at the time of the critical second battle of Fallujah, counseled patience, saying that conditions could improve under a future government in Baghdad.

WASHINGTON—The head of U.S. forces in Iraq at the time of the critical second battle of Fallujah said he shares the frustration of many military veterans as the city falls under the control of militants, but counseled patience.

Retired Army Gen. George Casey, the top American commander in Iraq from 2004 to 2007, said that conditions could improve under a future government in Baghdad. Still, he said it was difficult for people who served in Iraq to watch that country's government squander what he called the opportunity given to them by the U.S. troops.

"The men and women of the American armed forces did everything they could for the Iraqi people in the time we were there and Fallujah was the exclamation point on that whole effort," Gen. Casey said in his first interview since the start of the crisis.

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My Comment: Retired Army Gen. George Casey's "optimism" is not justified. And while I do wish that General Casey is right, the trend in Iraq is now obvious to all .... escalating violence and a sectarian breakdown of the country with the Kurds in the north, the Sunnis in the West, and the Shiites in the rest of the country.

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