Iraq war 'can last for years'

2005-05-20 20:18

Southern Shuneh, Jordan - Defeating Iraq's gritty insurgency will take years of deadly conflict, but eventually guerrilla warfare will give way to an Iraqi democracy, US deputy secretary of state Robert Zoellick said on Friday.

Beating the Iraqi insurgents requires a combined political and economic approach, along with a greater Iraqi role in the US military's counterinsurgency battle, something Zoellick said he believes will succeed despite the burgeoning violence.

"I believe it can be bloody and nasty and I believe it's going to take a lot of hard work over a number of years," Zoellick said in a discussion with reporters before a major speech here. "I don't underestimate the fact that trying to make a democracy work under these conditions is extremely trying."

Zoellick was in Jordan following a trip to Iraq this week that followed the Iraq visit of his boss, US secretary of state Condoleeza Rice.

Fighting the evolving insurgency has grown more difficult because the guerrillas keep widening the focus of their attacks, even hitting soft civilian targets which are almost impossible to protect, Zoellick said.

Trying to foment civil war

With the rebels failing to squash the January elections and the more recent formation of a government, they now appear to be trying to foment civil war, he said. Recent assaults have killed clerics and civilian workers, mainly Shiite Muslims, in an apparent bid to spark reciprocal attacks that could spiral into sectarian war.

"I don't think they'll be able to do it," Zoellick said.

Shoring up support for Iraq's fledgling government depends on providing basic services, he said. But Iraq's provision of key services like electricity, water and security has plummeted since the US-led invasion in 2003.

Zoellick said grudging progress is being made with Iraq's police and military through the US military's "train-fight-train" strategy of sending fresh troops into battle and continuing with training afterward.

"Put them out there and bring them back," said Zoellick. He then quoted US General George Casey, the top American military commander, as saying: "There's nothing like a bullet whistling past you to focus your attention."

- AP