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Length: 1:39
LOU DOBBS: The Iraqi government today insisted that
it has a very clear strategy to build a democracy in
Iraq. However, the Iraqi government is weak. The
government depends on groups opposed to U.S. interest
for its very survival.
Michael Ware reports from Baghdad on whether the
so-called new security benchmarks have any chance of
success -- Michael.
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lou, at the
end of the day, after sifting through the statements
of Ambassador Khalilzad and General Casey, what
nuggets are we really left with? There's not a great
deal.
While on the one hand, this was a statement jointly
made by the two most powerful U.S. representatives in
this country, reassuring mainly an American domestic
audience but also an Iraqi audience, that the U.S.
mission here is not only salvageable but can still
succeed, and then mapping out this series of
benchmarks that should lead to success. On the other
hand, in many ways, this is the U.S. just treading
water.
I mean, these benchmarks that were outlined, we've
more or less heard all of them before. Some as -- you
know, for over a year, and there's been no
development on them so far. The issues of militia,
the issues of Iran, the issues of reaching out to the
Sunni insurgency. Ambassador Khalilzad, for example,
has been talking and talking about rolling back
de-Ba'athification, since last year.
Perhaps as a sign, the lights went out in the middle
of this press conference, leaving the ambassador and
the general in the dark. Let's hope that that won't
be the same for the mission -- Lou.
DOBBS: Michael Ware reporting.