Bush to unveil new Iraq strategy document
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-30 20:36

There are about 160,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. The Pentagon has not committed to any specific drawdown of U.S. forces next year beyond the announced plan to pull back 28,000 troops that were added this fall for extra security during the election.

In the report, the Bush administration says it is working along a political track to help the Iraqis isolate enemies from those who want to participate in the democratic political process. The "enemy" is a combination of Iraqis who reject democratic reforms, Saddam loyalists and terrorists and others inspired by al-Qaeda.

To maintain security, the report says the U.S. has helped train more than 212,000 Iraqi forces — up from 96,000 in September 2004. There are now more than 120 army and police battalions in the fight — up from five in August 2004. Of these battalions, more than 80 are fighting side-by-side with coalition forces and more than 40 others are taking the lead in the fight.

The document says, however, that multiple challenges remain. Any support that countries, such as Syria or Iran, are giving to terrorists or insurgents must be neutralized. The Iraqi government must make sure its ministries can sustain a national army. And Iraqi security forces must not be infiltrated by those not aligned with the new Iraqi government.

There is concern that some Iraqi forces are operating as militias that are loyal to Shiites and target Sunnis, who now are a political minority after having ruled the country under Saddam Hussein. Heated battles between Iraqi security forces — made up mostly of Shiites — and insurgents — comprising mostly Sunnis — could widen the cultural divide in the nation and provoke civil war.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee who visited Iraq last month, said he thinks Iraqi security forces have made progress. But he added that "if you've got competent units ... they're basically militias in national uniforms, and you're uncertain of whose orders they're taking, that's not the security force you want."