Iraqi Security Forces Leading Operations in More Areas

May 23, 2006 - Coalition leaders are working to transfer
security responsibility to Iraqis as soon as possible, but they recognize
the dangers of "rushing to failure," a senior military official told
Pentagon reporters today.

Army Brig. Gen. Carter F. Ham, deputy director of regional operations
for the Joint Staff, called the seating of Iraq's new government and its
building a force of more than 263,000 security forces major milestones
for Iraq.

"There's still a lot to be done in Iraq, and we shouldn't kid ourselves
about that," he said. "But I think that every now and then it's
important to realize that much has already been accomplished," he said.

Ham showed reporters charts that graphically demonstrate progress
Iraq's security forces have made in the past seven months. Green coloring
shows areas where two Iraqi divisions, 14 brigades and more than 50 Iraqi
army battalions are operating in the lead in various areas throughout
the country.

"Now, we want it all to be green," Ham said. "The Iraqis want it all to
be green. And only those who are opposed to freedom and elected
representative government want it to be otherwise."

Transitions to Iraqi control will occur as Iraqis become capable of
exercising security control. "Those decisions are made in collaboration
with the Iraqi government, Iraqi security force leaders, and the U.S. and
other coalition members that are present in those areas," Ham said. "We
want to do it as soon as we can, but you can't do it too fast."

U.S. soldiers and Marines remain in control in Ramadi, which Ham called
"probably the most contentious city right now inside Iraq."

The enemy they face appears to be a mix of al Qaeda in Iraq elements
trying to establish a safe haven and Sunni Arabs trying to keep it as a
stronghold. The challenge is to protect Iraqis who live there while
helping Iraqi security forces establish authority, Ham said.

"The key, in my mind, will not be so much how many or how few U.S.
forces are there, but how can we best help the Iraqis to establish control
of their city?" Ham said. "And I know the commanders there are working
very hard with the Iraqi ministries of defense and interior to get the
right Iraqi forces on the ground in Ramadi to help a very, very
difficult situation."