Iraq: 'No military solution'

2007-07-31 22:29

Washington - Additional United States troops are improving security in Iraq, although peace ultimately will be won politically, not militarily, the incoming top military adviser told senators on Tuesday.

Admiral Michael Mullen, at a congressional hearing on his nomination to become chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said a "surge" of about 30 000 additional US troops into Iraq is beginning to show moderate signs of success.

"The surge is giving our operational commanders the forces they needed to execute more effective tactics and improve security," Mullen told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, adding that the security on the ground in Iraq is "not great, but better".

"Security is critical to providing the government of Iraq the breathing space it needs to work toward political national reconciliation and economic growth, which are themselves critical to a stable Iraq," he said.

'Consider our moves very carefully'

"Barring that, no amount of troops and no amount of time will make much of a difference," said Mullen, who is expected to win committee support to become President George W Bush's top military adviser.

Asked about the possibility of a failure in the current strategy, Mullen said he would wait until September, when a report on the war to Congress is due from US ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and from General David Petraeus, the top commander of US troops in Iraq.

But he urged lawmakers not to prematurely withdraw US forces.

"I would caution against that, at this point. Because I am concerned about that kind of rapid withdrawal and what it might mean, not just for Iraq but what it would mean in the whole region."

"I understand the frustration about the war," he said. "I share it."

He added however that since "security in the region bears directly on our own national security, we must consider our next moves very carefully".

Mullen, 60, who currently heads US naval operations, was named to replace General Peter Pace, who leaves the post in October.

- AFP