Petraeus: Al-Qaida reeling, but still lethal

[unhappycamper]

Petreaus, center, says crime groups rising problem



Petraeus: Al-Qaida reeling, but still lethal
By Kim Gamel - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Oct 28, 2007 14:40:04 EDT

CAMP SPEICHER, Iraq — The threat from al-Qaida in several former strongholds in Baghdad has been significantly reduced, but criminals who have established “almost mafia-like presence” in some areas pose a new threat, the top U.S. commander in Iraq said Sunday.

Gen. David Petraeus stressed, however, the terror organization remained “a very dangerous and very lethal enemy” — a comment underscored by the abduction Sunday in Baghdad of 10 Sunni and Shiite tribal leaders who joined forces against al-Qaida.

“Its presence has been significantly reduced and its activity and freedom of action have been degraded,” Petraeus told a small group of reporters at a U.S. base near Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad.

He singled out success in what had been some of the most volatile Sunni neighborhoods in Baghdad, including Ghazaliyah, Amariyah, Azamiyah and Dora.

“Having said that ... al-Qaida remains a very dangerous and very lethal enemy of Iraq,” he said. “We must maintain contact with them and not allow them to establish sanctuaries or re-establish sanctuaries in places where they were before.”

The gunmen ambushed the two cars carrying the 10 sheiks — seven Sunnis and three Shiites — in Baghdad’s predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Shaab at about 3:30 p.m., police officials said.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/10/ap_petreausalqaida_071028/

[Lasher]

1. Yep, that's the party line.

The surge is working, but not so well that we can stop throwing money and people at this endless war.

[jimshoes]

2. It's not so much the actual results,

as the perception that they are actually getting results. In other words, they lie.