Armitage Al Arabiya Television with Hisham Melham

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00151.htm

MR. MELHAM: Thank you, sir, for this opportunity. Mr. Secretary, can you give us the definitive answers to the question as to whether the Iraqi elections will be held on time?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: They will be held on the 30th of January, period.

MR. MELHAM: And as we've seen, as the elections draw nearer, we've seen a cacophony of voices in the United States, including some conservatives -- one of them is your friend Brent Scowcroft -- calling for the postponement of the elections and warning of the danger of the country sliding into civil war.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Those who call for a postponement have no program to put into effect during the period that they would delay the elections. We've had very deep consultations with this, both in Washington and with our friends in the government, the President, Ghazi al-Yawar, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. And there's no question we're going to go ahead with these elections on the 30th of January. That's the best thing, and that's what the Iraqi people expect.

MR. MELHAM: Secretary Powell was saying recently that even in those areas that are very problematic, where we have, you know, instability, that the voters should go and vote. But will that be possible, practically?
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DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, we're trying to make it as possible -- quite possible by beefing up security, both with coalition forces and with the Iraqi security forces.

We have no doubt that, left to their own devices, the majority of Iraqis do want to participate in this historic election. And it's our job to try to provide as much security as possible, particularly in the four provinces which are, as Secretary Powell said, problematic.

MR. MELHAM: So, again, the Secretary said that he anticipates that if things go well in the security area that the United States will begin to withdraw or draw down its forces in Iraq this year, 2005. How realistic is that?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, it's tied not only to the successful elections, but also to the training of security forces. There is an assessment team, as you probably are aware, which has just traveled to Iraq under the leadership of General Gary Luck, retired General Luck. They will make an assessment of the training, and once they've come back will be able to more, I think, accurately answer the question.

MR. MELHAM: Is this the so-called exit strategy that's been talked about?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: No, the exit strategy is based on one thing, and that is an Iraq which is whole, integrous, it's at peace with its neighbors and able to defend itself. And as we've said from the beginning, at that time we're sure that the then-government of Iraq would want us to leave, and we will do so.

MR. MELHAM: What was the problem with training? I mean, initially, the projections were more optimistic about training, that by this time you will have national guard, army. What happened?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I think we perhaps underestimated the need for the good, solid leadership. As you can see, just on the daily television, there are any number of people who are willing to sign up for jobs in the army and the police. But finding leaders, people who will take charge of their units and really make them better than they think they can be, has been a problem.

MR. MELHAM: Sir, we read recently about the so-called Salvadoran option, the formation of what was referred to as death squads, special forces that would seek to eliminate the leaders of the insurgency, and they may have the authority to even cross international borders; i.e., from Iraq to Syria. This was the Newsweek article. Any comments on that?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Yes. It was nonsense.

MR. MELHAM: You are laconic today. (Laughter.)

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Laconic. That's nonsense. Now, American troops are not going to be involved in assassinations. The Secretary of Defense -- I've been in meetings with him as fairly recent -- we know nothing about this. It's nonsense.

,<SNIP> There's a lot more. Worth the read.

[Cooley Hurd]

1. The point that escapes the present Bush admin is...

...that the election outcome, if questionable on any level, will only fuel the insurgency and probably CAUSE a civil war, instead of averting one. And, given the fact that the polling places themselves will be severely fucked with on the 30th, every outcome will be disputed. It's no-win...:(

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

2. If you and I can see this as being the most likely outcome...

you gatta figure they see it as well.

They have to WANT this to happen. Good excuse to keep a presence there under the guise of "helping" Iraq.

With friends like us, who needs Saddam?

[Cooley Hurd]

3. ...or they're powerless to stop it.

They're fuckity-fucked...:grr:

So sad that hundreds-of-thousands of lives had to be snuffed out for such a colossal mistake...:grr::grr::grr: