Gen. Petraeus' statement is not convincing by Corina Ciubotaru

As expected, Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker's statements today sparked a major controversy in American political circles. Were they influenced by the government? Should the troops stay longer in Iraq? Why aren't all the soldiers being sent home if the goals haven't been achieved? Between the Republicans wanting them to stay and the Democrats wishing they were home, 160,000 military are currently stationed in Iraq, with only 30,000 of them expected to return by July 2008. Gen. Petraeus intends to send home 2,000 Marines this month, the same people that were sent there this January by President Bush, this being the biggest cut in troop numbers since 2003. The next batch is expected back in mid-December but the general advises that no other decisions regarding Iraq's security should be made before March 2008. With over 3,700 American troops dead in this war in four years, this problem must be addressed with utmost care and responsibility. President Bush is expected to give a public speech in the next days on the state of Iraq, in a time when most people think the war is a failure and the pressure is high to get the soldiers home. More and more people believe the attack in 2003 was a mistake and that progress towards peace in the region is far from what was initially expected, regardless of several reports and Gen. Petraeus' himself declaring the Iraqi national army is getting stronger and more capable of keeping peace even with political leaders making little effort to improve the country's laws.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070910/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq;_ylt=ApCNVEGKk3nLVkLdHor_4OKs0NUE

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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