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Iraqi prime minister takes softer tone By ROBERT H. REID, Associated Press Writer
31 minutes ago


BAGHDAD - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki sought to soften earlier comments that American troops can leave "any time they want," saying Monday that Iraq's security force was on the road to taking over from U.S. troops — but it's not there yet.


Al-Maliki told reporters Saturday he was confident that Iraq's army and police are capable of maintaining security "if the international forces withdraw any time they want."

Those comments landed squarely in the middle of Washington's battles over Iraq policy. The U.S.-backed prime minister appeared to undermine the White House's contention that the 155,000 American troops must remain in the country because Iraq's own security forces are not ready to deal with Sunni and Shiite extremists on their own.

On Monday, however, al-Maliki rolled back. He hoped that Iraqi forces would receive enough training to be able to take over security duties from the Americans by the end of the year.

"I hope this here will be the end of the building of our forces so that we are prepared to take control of security. This needs the cooperation of everyone involved, both us and the coalition forces," he told NBC News.

"As soon as we reach this level of readiness, the door will be open for dialogue between us and Americans about our future plans. Now we are thinking as politicians about how to maintain robust long-term relations with the Americans whether they remain on Iraqi soil or pull out from Iraq," he said.

Al-Maliki's weekend comments likely reflected Iraqi frustration over criticism from the United States about his government's failure to meet any of the 18 benchmark measures which the White House says are necessary for national reconciliation.

Al-Maliki's assessment of Iraqi military capabilities drew a sharp retort Monday from former Rep. Lee Hamilton, co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group. Hamilton said he was "extremely doubtful" the prime minister will be able to secure the country so that American forces can leave any time soon.

Many Iraqi politicians believe the Americans have underestimated the difficulties in enacting the benchmark bills in a parliament riddled with sectarian dissension.

"There is no chance that the Iraqi forces could take over at any time, or certainly by the first of the year," Hamilton said in a nationally broadcast interview. "All of the support efforts, logistical and medical and so forth, they are not close to being able to meet."

Senior U.S. military officers have also said they doubt Iraqi forces will be ready to operate on their own by the end of the year.

Maj. Gen. William Lynch, who commands U.S. forces south of Baghdad, said Sunday that it will take until fall to drive extremists from sanctuaries in his sector and "it's going to take us through the first of the year and into the spring" to shore up those gains.

Lynch and other commanders have lauded progress, especially in the Iraqi army, but have complained there aren't enough Iraqi forces to consolidate gains.

Last Friday, Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the number of Iraqi battalions capable of operating independently had dropped from 10 in March to six currently. He said much of the problem was a result of combat losses.