VOA标准英语2008年-US, Iraqi Defense Ministers Declare Notable Gai

U.S. Defense¹ Secretary Robert Gates and Iraq's defense minister say coalition² forces have achieved notable security gains in Iraq. The two men on Thursday marked the one year anniversary of the Bush administration's decision to send more troops into Iraq. VOA's Jim Fry reports.

U.S. and Iraqi soldiers are on the move northeast of Baghdad. It is an offensive known as Phantom³ Phoenix⁴.

On Tuesday, 8 January, the Pentagon released a video that it said was an air strike against al-Qaida forces southeast of Baghdad. And then Thursday, the military announced similar strikes on an al-Qaida stronghold on the outskirts⁵ of Baghdad. The military called it one of the largest bombing campaigns in recent months.

At the Pentagon, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates appeared before reporters with Iraqi Defense Minister Abd al-Qadir.

He reminded the audience of the anniversary. "As you know, one year ago today the president announced a new way forward in Iraq, also known as the surge," noted⁶ Gates.

Gates and al-Qadir said security gains have cut the number high profile attacks by 60 percent and civilian⁷ deaths by 75 percent.

The Iraqi government's stated goal is to replace with Iraqi troops the multi-national forces, including U.S. troops. The defense minister did not say when.

He says, "We work in full coordination⁸ and we believe we are capable of filling the gap."

Earlier this week, President Bush praised the progress in Iraq.

"Improvements on the ground are allowing some forces on the ground to return home. Strategy is called, 'Return on Success.' It has now begun," President Bush said.

Mr. Bush gave some of the credit to Iraqi citizen groups.

Such groups have signed pledges to oppose terrorists and insurgents⁹, leading to more peaceful neighborhoods and open markets. But critics say underlying¹⁰ conflicts in Iraqi society have not disappeared.

Stephen Biddle, with the private Council on Foreign Relations in Washington says, "These negotiated agreements are, therefore, not inherently stable or self-policing."

Biddle says that lasting¹¹ peace can be achieved only if an outside force is maintained in Iraq. He says the number of U.S. troops has already fallen below what experts say is needed for a peacekeeping mission in a country like Iraq. "And if we leave ourselves without sufficient forces for a peacekeeping and enforcement role, I am concerned that we could create a self-defeating prophesy¹² in Iraq, and lose the things that we have gained at such cost and such sacrifice," added Biddle.

Meanwhile, as U.S. troops hunt down insurgents in Iraq's northern provinces, two explosions near Baghdad claimed at least three lives and wounded eleven others. 

"There will continue to be tough days and tough weeks. We are not done yet, by any means," Gates said.

Gates says insurgents now have fewer places to hide in Iraq, but he says the current offensive does not represent the last major battle.