George Casey Iraqi Quotations

reducing the visibility and ultimately the presence of coalition forces as we transition to Iraqi security self-reliance remains a key element of our counter-insurgency strategy.

We have built enough Iraqi capacity where we can begin talking seriously about transitioning this counterinsurgency mission to them,

We do not have a timeline or milestones that directly tie the draw down of coalition units to numbers of Iraqi battalions,

Increased coalition presence feeds the notion of occupation. It contributes to the dependency of Iraqi security forces on the coalition, ... It extends the amount of time that it will take for Iraqi security forces to become self-reliant. And it exposes more coalition forces to attacks.

The development of the Iraqi security forces is very much on track,

We fully recognize that Iraqi armed forces will not have an independent capability for some time, because they don't have the institutional base to support them,