Fallon: US must seek new direction in Iraq

Source: CCTV.com | 01-31-2007 14:30

The man chosen by U.S. President George W. Bush to command forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East says America must seek new directions in regions, where violence continues, unabated.

US navy admiral William Fallon, at his confirmation hearing, told the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee that the situation in Iraq is difficult to deal with. Making matters even more difficult, Fallon says Iran is working actively to thwart U.S. objectives in the region. Thus, the situation demands a fresh approach.

William Fallon, US Central Command nominee, said, "It seems pretty obvious to me that what we have been doing has not been working. We have not been getting the results that we desire and we clearly have to do something different. I believe the situation in Iraq can be turned around, but time is short."

The 62-year-old Fallon, currently commander of US forces in the Pacific, also says the United States should redefine its goals in war-torn Iraq.

William Fallon, US Central Command nominee, said, "Maybe we ought to redefine the goals here a bit and do something that's more realistic in terms of getting some progress."

At a news conference, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, said that on a recent visit to Iraq, her delegation saw no sign that US efforts were moving ahead with urgency.

Nancy Pelost, speaker House of Representatives, said, "We went with the hope and expectation that what we would see in Iraq was some coordinated effort to have political solutions, to relieve the civil strife and violence there, and diplomatic efforts to bring stability to the region. We saw no evidence of either, sadly."

Public sentiment has turned strongly against the war, soon to enter its fifth year. More than three-thousand American soldiers have been killed. Violence shows no sign of letting up. It may be getting worse.

Editor:Du Xiaodan