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Iraq ready to handle its security: Panetta
Calling Iraq a sovereign nation, the US declared that the war-torn country is ready to handle its security.
Washington: Calling Iraq a sovereign nation
and emerging democracy, the US, which is set to withdraw its
remaining troops from there by year-end, today declared that
the war-torn country is ready to handle its security without a
significant American military footprint.
"Today... Iraq is governing itself ? as a sovereign nation, as an emerging source of stability in a vital part of the world, and as an emerging democracy capable of addressing its own security needs," Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said in his testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee at a Congressional hearing on Iraq.
"For our part, the United States is ready to mark the beginning of a new phase in our relationship with Iraq ? one that is normal, similar to others in the region, and based on mutual interests and mutual respect," he said. As the US forces from Iraq are withdrawing as per schedule, Panetta said going forward the US will pursue a long-term training relationship through the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq, which will include a limited number of US military personnel operating under its embassy and receiving normal diplomatic protections.
"Through the US-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement, we will also have a platform for future cooperation in counter-terrorism, naval and air defence and joint exercises," it said.
"I believe Iraq is ready to handle security without a significant US military footprint," Panetta said. Panetta said that since the Obama administration came into office, the US has removed more than 100,000 of its security personnel from Iraq, and the Iraqis long ago assumed primary responsibility for internal security.
"At the same time, violence levels have remained steady at their lowest levels since 2003. In January 2009, there were over 140,000 US forces in Iraq conducting a combat mission," the Defence Secretary said.
"In the summer of 2009, we removed our troops from Iraq`s cities. By the summer of 2010, we ended combat operations and drew down to fewer than 50,000 forces; those remaining forces will leave Iraq as planned by the end of the year," he said.
Again, as the Iraqis have assumed security control, the level of violence has decreased significantly and stayed at historic lows, he said. "The number of weekly security incidents across Iraq has decreased from 1,500 in 2007 to fewer than 100 in recent weeks."
Panetta said Iraq now faces three major threats of extremism, conflict between political blocks and challenges in the area of external defence.
PTI
"Today... Iraq is governing itself ? as a sovereign nation, as an emerging source of stability in a vital part of the world, and as an emerging democracy capable of addressing its own security needs," Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said in his testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee at a Congressional hearing on Iraq.
"For our part, the United States is ready to mark the beginning of a new phase in our relationship with Iraq ? one that is normal, similar to others in the region, and based on mutual interests and mutual respect," he said. As the US forces from Iraq are withdrawing as per schedule, Panetta said going forward the US will pursue a long-term training relationship through the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq, which will include a limited number of US military personnel operating under its embassy and receiving normal diplomatic protections.
"Through the US-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement, we will also have a platform for future cooperation in counter-terrorism, naval and air defence and joint exercises," it said.
"I believe Iraq is ready to handle security without a significant US military footprint," Panetta said. Panetta said that since the Obama administration came into office, the US has removed more than 100,000 of its security personnel from Iraq, and the Iraqis long ago assumed primary responsibility for internal security.
"At the same time, violence levels have remained steady at their lowest levels since 2003. In January 2009, there were over 140,000 US forces in Iraq conducting a combat mission," the Defence Secretary said.
"In the summer of 2009, we removed our troops from Iraq`s cities. By the summer of 2010, we ended combat operations and drew down to fewer than 50,000 forces; those remaining forces will leave Iraq as planned by the end of the year," he said.
Again, as the Iraqis have assumed security control, the level of violence has decreased significantly and stayed at historic lows, he said. "The number of weekly security incidents across Iraq has decreased from 1,500 in 2007 to fewer than 100 in recent weeks."
Panetta said Iraq now faces three major threats of extremism, conflict between political blocks and challenges in the area of external defence.
PTI