WASHINGTON — The United States has linked an improvement in Iraq's
economy to its military withdrawal.
Officials said Iraq's economy has been added to the benchmarks set by
the Defense Department for a significant reduction of the U.S. military
presence in Iraq. They said the Bush administration would press the new
Iraqi government to bolster the economy and reduce unemployment.
"There must be a reasonable economic opportunity, and to have either one
you've got to have a unity government," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
said.
On May 20, Iraq's parliament approved a full-term government for
the first time since the fall of Saddam Hussein more than three years ago.
But the Cabinet contained several key vacancies, including the Ministries of
Defense, Interior and National Security, Middle East Newsline reported.
"They are now in the lead and the U.S. government is just in support of
that," Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, deputy chief of staff for strategic
effects for Multinational Force-Iraq, said. "They are the authoritative
decision-making body in this country and anything we do from here on, we
will have to do in consultation with the legitimate government authority."
The U.S. military has established an office to help the new Iraqi
government maintain unity as well as improve security and the economy.
Officials said the office would employ advisers to help the Iraqi Finance
Ministry draft plans to reduce unemployment, particularly for young Iraqis
drawn to the insurgency movement.
"I honestly believe that the key to this thing is putting the Iraqi
people to work, and finally
we have a government that can concentrate on doing exactly that," Lt. Gen.
Peter Chiarelli, deputy commander of the U.S. military in Iraq, said. "And
that is absolutely essential, to take the angry young men off the street,
and give them an alternative."
Officials said U.S. advisers would also be placed in the Defense
Ministry and Interior Ministry to ensure the training and equipping of the
military and security forces. There are about 255,000 members of Iraq's
military and
security forces.
By September 2006, officials said, the U.S. military expects the Iraq
Army to contain 10 divisions. They said 75 percent of the brigades would
assume lead responsibility for operations.
"Once the economy gets going and revenues are realized, it will allow
the Iraqis to support their forces in a way that to date they've been unable
to do that," Chiarelli said.
