Click
photo to play
Length: 3:25
JOHN KING: While
Americans look for a way out of Iraq, Iran has its
foot firmly in the door and is muscling its way more
into the picture. Now Iran has invited the leader of
Iraq to a weekend meeting. Correspondent Michael Ware
joins us now from Baghdad.
Michael, Iraq's president, Mr. Talabani is going to
Tehran. Do you expect any significant, tangible
results from that, especially when it comes to
improving the security situation?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's no
specific agenda we have been told of. No one has an
expectation of the delivery of any immediate prize by
President Talabani.
However, from an American perspective, key among the
list of things to discuss will be security. Indeed,
U.S. intelligence and the American ambassador here,
and the American commander on the ground here, have
all repeatedly accused Iran of sending money,
fighters, training, and weapons across the border.
We are seeing, essentially, Iran -- through its
surrogates -- killing American and British troops.
They are also supporting the major militias, which
are the fundamental building blocks of the government
that President Talabani represents.
These countries share a land border. They fought a
long and bitter war. There is much for them to
discuss. But foremost will be security. Now, Iran has
also offered to help with the rebuilding of the Iraqi
army and the Iraqi intelligence service. America does
not want that to happen. We'll see if that comes up
in President Talabani's discussions.
KING: And Michael, I want to bring your attention to
policy debate here in the United States. A number of
competing proposals being kicked around as to what
the United States should do to change its strategy.
Almost every one of them says they have to do a
better job after three and half plus years in Iraq of
finding a way to improve the training of Iraqi
security forces. Is any progress being made while the
politicians and others back here in Washington debate
what to do next?
WARE: No, not really, John. I mean, you only have so
much to work with here in Iraq. And as we know, most
of the security forces -- particularly the police and
the national police, the former commando paramilitary
units -- are heavily infiltrated by the Shia
militias. That's why we're seeing in Sunni areas to
the west, police being recruited locally because
Sunnis simply cannot trust their own men in uniform
if they come from the central government.
There's really very little here for the Americans to
work with. We have seen an entire brigade of Iraqi
national police taken off-line because of its
complicity in death squad activity. That unit is now
undergoing further training.
But overall, essentially, America needs to accept it
has not been winning this war so far. In fact, its
enemies, Al Qaeda and Iran, have been emboldened by
this war. America needs to make a reassessment.
Firstly, of what is it trying to achieve. Any concept
of establishing a bristling, shiny new democracy for
the Middle East has to be cast aside. America needs
to downscale its goals and that will help reshape
what strategy it applies and how many forces that's
going to need and for how long. Essentially, America
needs to accept it is not going get what it set out
to do -- John.
KING: Correspondent Michael Ware for us in Baghdad.
Michael, thank you very much.
WARE: Thank you, John.