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Secretary General-elect of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon takes the oath of office in the General Assembly Hall, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2006, at the United Nations headquarters. Ban will not officially start his new job until Jan. 1, when he will become the eighth secretary-general of the 192-nation world body. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
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US Troops in Bagdad Likely to be Shifted Outside
The Washington Post reported that US troops deployed in Bagdad will be moved to outside Bagdad from early next year. The newspaper reported that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki proposed the move during summit talks with President Bush in Jordan last month, and that Iragi troops assume primary responsibility for security in Baghdad early next year instead of the US troops.
Concerning US troops stationed in Bagdad, Iraqi National Security Adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie said, “The primary responsibility plan was presented during Bush's meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Amman, Jordan, on Nov. 30. I think that it is very critical to trim the number of US troops in Iraq, and we think US troops should be shifted to outside Bagdad.”
Political analysts forecast that if the plan is conducted, both sides have to redefine the US military commitment in Iraq and that it will impact US troop policy in Iraq. Currently, Bush is under pressure for a change of course in Iraq. According to a source, President Bush will unveil his new strategy by Christmas. If the US military is shifted to the outskirts of Bagdad, they can focus mainly on seeking terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda and Sunni Muslims.
Regarding the plan, a high-ranking representative of Sunni Muslims said, “It could trigger a disaster. I don’t think Americans are foolish enough to do so.”
Based on a poll by the Washington Post and NBC, 52% of Americans think that the US is losing the war in Iraq, up 18% compared to last year’s survey. The survey also found that 45% of respondents replied that the current Iraqi situation is a civil war, up 7% compared to last August.
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 / 입력시간: 2006. 12.15. 08:52
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