The new American operational commander in Iraq, Lt. General Raymond Odierno, says that the new efforts will be more evenhanded among Sunni and Shiite neighborhoods, and American troops will stay alongside Iraqi troops in areas that have been cleared. He hopes that with a few months, he can then withdraw American troops to the periphery of Baghdad and leave the policing of the capital to Iraqi forces.
现在为时已晚，而且是杯水车薪。有没有什么理由相信，过去的努力一无所获，现在增兵五个旅将会稳定巴格达的局势？美国新任驻伊拉克军事指挥官欧迪埃诺中将说，新的行动将对逊尼派和什叶派更加一视同仁，而且美国士兵将与伊拉克士兵共同驻扎在已经清理的地区。他希望，再经过几个月，他就可以将美国士兵撤到巴格达城边，并且把在首都执行警卫的任务交给伊拉克军队。但是这一局势的前提是伊拉克军队能够胜任工作，而且，依赖什叶派民兵支持的伊拉克总理马利基的政府能够扮演称职而又一视同仁的角色。