On Tuesday, Petraeus and U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, briefed
the Senate Armed Services Committee on the situation in Iraq. The two men
asserted that Iran's support to Shi'ite miltias threatens Iraq's drive
toward democracy.
The U.S. military commander said Iran played a significant role in the
Shi'ite revolt in Baghdad and Basra. Petraeus said the bulk of weapons
employed by the Special Groups was supplied by Iran.
"We should all watch Iranian actions closely in the weeks and months
ahead, as they will show the kind of relationship Iran wishes to have with
its neighbor and the character of future Iranian involvement in Iraq,"
Petraeus said.
Crocker also stressed the Iranian influence over the government of Prime
Minister Nouri Al Maliki as well as the Shi'ite community. The ambassador
said the United States was ready to support what he termed constructive
relations between Iran and Iraq.
"The extent of Iran's malign influence was dramatically demonstrated
when militia elements armed and trained by Iran clashed with Iraqi
government forces in Basra and Baghdad,'' Crocker said.
In his testimony, Petraeus said the U.S. military, with more than
150,000 soldiers, required at least 140,000 troops in Iraq over the next six
months. He warned that the security situation was fragile and could undergo
a sudden decline.
"This approach does not allow establishment of a set withdrawal
timetable,'' Petraeus said. "However, it does provide the flexibility those
of us on the ground need to preserve the still-fragile security gains our
troopers have fought so far and sacrifice so much to achieve.''
