Iraq

Big challenge for new commander of US-led forces

Article published on the 2008-09-16 Latest update 2008-09-17 09:13 TU

House ruins after suicide attack in Diyala province, Iraq, 15 September 2008.
Photo: Reuters

General Raymond Odierno has taken over as the new commander of the US-led forces in Iraq from General David Petraeus. He has warned that the apparent reduction in violence is "fragile and reversible".

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The new head of the US-led forces in Iraq says he is aware of the tough task that lies ahead. As if to underline the fact, a series of attacks on the eve of the handover killed at least 34 people in the country.

General Raymond Odierno has had two tours of duty in Iraq - from 2003 to 2004 and from December 2006 to March 2008. In the latter, and as deputy to commander David Petraeus, he implemented the so-called "surge" strategy, which he had also proposed. Under that strategy, US troops were poured into Baghdad and Al-Qaeda militants were flushed out of what had been safe-havens around the capital.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates attended the handover ceremony in Baghdad along with top Iraqi officials. Gates expressed confidence in the new commander of the US forces in Iraq saying, "As we proceed further into the endgame here, I am sure he will make tough but necessary decisions to protect our national interest."

Odierno has consistently been against US troop reduction in Iraq, but some 8,000 US soldiers are due to quit in January 2009. The new commander in Iraq today seemed to be keen to adapt, saying that, "the cut [in US forces] will be automatically replaced by Iraqi forces", and that further reductions would depend on consultations with the authorities in Baghdad.

The outgoing commander in Iraq, David Petraeus, is promoted to head the US Central Command, overseeing US miliary operations in the region.

When Petraeus took over the operation in Iraq in February 2007, the country seemed headed into all-out civil war. The US says the level of violence began falling signficantly after the end of 2007, and has reached a four-year low. Iraq is now in charge of security in 11 of the 18 provinces.

Iraq's ambassador to France Mowafak Abboud says that, "One year ago, many people were pessimistic, thinking there was no hope... but now we have a different feeling about that."