Washington, Nov 13: The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has warned in a new assessment that the poor security situation in Iraq will worsen across the country, not just in Baghdad and the "Sunni triangle" but in the Kurd-dominated north and Shiite south as well. The report is a much more dire and ominous assessment of the situation than has previously been depicted, a television network reported quoting senior administrative officials, saying it was sent Monday to Washington by the CIA station chief in Iraq.
It was not immediately clear if the assessment was what prompted the hastily arranged trip to Washington by Iraq civilian administrator L. Paul Bremer to meet US President Bush and senior national security officials.
The senior administration source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Bremer agreed with the CIA assessment and added his personal comments to the station chief's memo.
Another US official said the report was from the CIA and that it highlights what the official conceded are several "major ongoing security issues". However, the official refused to characterize the report in further detail.
But the senior administration source who did discuss the report said it essentially says things are going to get "worse" across Iraq.
The memo notes that more Iraqis are "flooding to the ranks of the guerrillas". Many of these Iraqis are Sunnis who had previously been "on the sidelines" but now believe they can "inflict bodily harm" on the Americans.
Pointing out that ammunition is easily available, the assessment also notes that organization and coordination are getting "tighter" among foreign insurgents -- extremists including but not limited to al-Qaeda and Hezbollah -- and those "displaced people" who lost power.
US officials in Washington and military commanders in Iraq have voiced concern about the recent increase of attacks against coalition and other targets in Iraq. Bush has urged his national security team to accelerate the training and deployment of Iraqi security forces. Bureau Report