U.S. commander: insurgent attacks to continue in Iraq

The top commander of U.S. military in Iraq said Thursday that "sensational attacks" are expected to continue in the war-torn country despite the ongoing security crackdown in Baghdad.

General David Petraeus, in his first news conference in Baghdad since taking his new job last month, said insurgent attacks intensified since the U.S. and Iraqi forces launched major offensive in the capital three weeks ago.

The security plan will take months and it is "too early to discern significant trends," Petraeus said.

He said that some "sensational attacks inevitably will continue to take place." However, there have been "a few encouraging signs, " as sectarian killings and displacement were down in recent weeks in Baghdad, he added.

Petraeus also denounced the recent wave of violence that claimed lives of hundreds of Iraqis.

The new top U.S. commander said that military action will not be enough to end the violence and political talks must include some insurgent groups that oppose the current government.

"There is no military solution to a problem like that in Iraq, to the insurgency of Iraq. Military action is necessary to help improve security, but it is not sufficient," he said.

He said political progress would require reconciliation talks with "some of those who have felt the new Iraq did not have a place for them."

Asked whether Iraqis are capable of putting the good of Iraq ahead of the political agendas and sectarian interests, he said "I believe that they can, although it will not be easy given the sectarian violence that changed the situation here dramatically over the past year in particular."

On Feb. 10, Petraeus took over command of U.S. troops in Iraq from his predecessor George Casey, as part of U.S. and Iraqi security forces battle to quell sectarian violence in the war- ravaged country.

U.S. President George W. Bush decided to send an extra 21,500 American troops, most of them to Baghdad, to take part in the massive security plan aimed at reining in sectarian violence in the capital and Sunni insurgency in the western Anbar province.

The new plan is widely seen as Bush's last bid to avert the losing course in Iraq. But violence still persists as 105 people were killed and 195 injured on Tuesday in the twin bombings targeting a crowd of Shiite pilgrims in Hilla, some 100 km south of Baghdad.

Source: Xinhua