15 September 2006
Economic, Political Improvements Will Help Reduce Iraqi Violence
Military official says jobs for young Iraqi men is key to a winning strategy
Washington – Economic and political conditions have to improve throughout Iraq, including in the long restive al-Anbar province, says the commander of the Multinational Corps in Iraq.
During a September 15 videoconference from his headquarters in Iraq, U.S. Army Lieutenant General Peter Chiarelli acknowledged that significant challenges exist in Anbar, but said there are no plans to abandon coalition operations there.
“We are committed to the people of al-Anbar and will remaining committed … and do everything possible to make their life better,” he pledged.
The province needs economic and political support and when that flows in a sustained manner, Chiarelli said it would have a positive effect on security conditions there. (See related article.)
In many places where he travels, Chiarelli said he hears the same Iraqi refrain: “Find jobs for the angry young men” and the level of violence will decrease. Economic development is key to improving conditions in Iraq, he said, and part of the overall strategy for victory. (See related article.)
Chiarelli said coalition forces are looking to the Iraqi government to provide basic services in regional locations where people are feeling deprived.
Going back to the situation in Anbar, he said Iraq’s security establishment is experiencing some personnel retention problems because the Iraqi Ministry of Defense has set certain literacy requirement for its recruits to meet.
Anbar is also the most recent province to be turned over to the Iraqi security forces. Even though some U.S. military forces have been shifted from Anbar to support the Baghdad security plan, the U.S. military official said he still believes sufficient troops remain in the province. If more forces are needed, the officer said a request for them will be made. (See related article.)
Questioned by reporters at the Pentagon, Chiarelli said his troops clearly are “fighting to win” in Iraq. But he suggested that the fight in Iraq is different from any other the United States has experienced. He also suggested that the experience of fighting the insurgency in Iraq will be characteristic of other future U.S. military experiences.
“It is a blend of both kinetic [actions on the battlefield] and nonkinetic effects,” he said, with the nonkinetic effects, such as generating jobs and rebuilding infrastructure, often being the most important.
Coalition forces are dependent on the Iraqi government to help in this process, Chiarelli said, and the sooner those commitments are realized. the faster places like Anbar will stabilize.
“I am very comfortable that we’re moving in the right direction in al-Anbar,” he added.
Chiarelli also was asked about border security. He said coalition and Iraqi forces are working very hard to secure Iraq’s borders with both Syria and Iran. To that end, he said, 256 border forts have been established.
Having just returned from an inspection on the Iraqi-Iranian border, and having been apprised of the situation along the Iraqi-Syrian border, Chiarelli said the border teams are getting stronger every day.
For more information, see Iraq Update.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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