US Commander in Iraq faces criticism for setbacks in the war

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-02-2007 09:08

The top US Commander in Iraq has come under fire at a Senate hearing on his nomination to be the next Army chief of staff. General George Casey defended his job performance and is refusing to take the blame for US failures and setbacks in Iraq.

Gen. George Casey, top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, delivers a speech at the Pentagon, June 22, 2006. (Xinhua Photo/AFP)

Appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, General George Casey faced fierce criticism for his role in the Iraq war.

John McCain, US senator, said, "I do question some of the decisions, and judgments you've made over the past two and a half years as commander of multinational forces in Iraq. During that time, things have gotten markedly and progressively worse and the situation in Iraq can now best be described as dire and deteriorating."

McCain says that Casey misjudged the prospects for stabilizing Iraq during his tenure. He also has strong reservations about Casey's nomination to be Army chief of staff.

However, in Casey's opening statement, the general defended his record as the top commander in Iraq.

George Casey, top US Commander In Iraq, said, "What we and the Iraqis are doing in Iraq is a hard, tough business. The struggle in Iraq is winnable, but it will, as I have said before this committee, take patience and will."

And Casey supports the US president's new Iraq strategy by sending more than 20,000 additional US troops to Iraq.

George Casey, said, "I believe that it can work. And as I've said, in war, there are no guarantees. But this plan, I believe is the appropriate strategy and it has the appropriate levels of resources attached to it, so I believe it can work."

Since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, tens of thousands of Iraqis have died along with more than 3,000 US troops. Violence continues to plague the war-torn country.

Editor:Du Xiaodan