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WOLF BLITZER: A senior
State Department diplomat has apologized for saying
publicly that history may judge the United States to
have shown arrogance and stupidity in handling the
Iraq war.
Alberto Fernandez made the remarks this weekend to an
Arab TV network.
And joining us now from Baghdad, our correspondent,
Michael Ware -- Michael, I'm sure you've heard about
these comments on Al Jazeera from a senior State
Department official, Alberto Fernandez, suggesting in
Arabic that U.S. policy in Iraq has been -- has shown
"arrogance and stupidity."
You speak to U.S. diplomats, officials, military
commanders on the ground all the time.
Is there a sense that U.S. policy over the past
three-and-a-half years has shown "arrogance and
stupidity?"
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what's clear,
what is common consensus and taken as fact here on
the ground, Wolf, -- by senior U.S. commanders, by
top U.S. diplomats -- is that grave errors were made,
particularly in the first year of the occupation in
Iraq. Most often cited was the way in which the
disbandment of Saddam's military was handled, the
extent and depth of de-Baathification and a host of
other issues.
There's a whole range of reasons postulated as to
explain those mistakes, from ideology run-amok to
people not listening to those on the ground to people
simply being unaware or unaccepting of the realities
to suggestions that people were far too cloistered
and shrouded within the Green Zone and other
fortified bases.
I think implicit in most of those is some element or
charge of arrogance and/or stupidity -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Why is October of this year, this month,
shaping up already as the worst month of the year for
the U.S. military in Iraq?
WARE: Well, there's a whole host of factors at play
here, as well, Wolf.
I mean, firstly, this has been the month of Eid-- of
the holy month of Ramadan. This is a time
traditionally of an offensive by the insurgents.
Indeed, this is the fourth Ramadan offensive of this
war. So there's naturally an increase in insurgent
activity.
Couple that with an increased presence of U.S. troops
on the streets of the capital in what's the now
ailing if not failing Operation Together Forward, or
Battle of Baghdad. That increases the U.S. troop
exposure. And don't forget, the insurgency took a
number of hits this year in terms of its leadership,
most spectacularly al Qaeda in Iraq losing Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi, its charismatic leader. These insurgents,
these groups, had to re-gather. And we see them now
lay out yet another offensive platform.
And don't forget, once more, the insurgents here are
savvy politically. They're attuned to what's
happening elsewhere in the world, and particularly
what's happening with American domestic politics. So
I'm sure that's a factor in this upswing in American
casualties -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Michael Ware reporting for us from Baghdad.
Michael, thanks very much.
WARE: Thank you, Wolf.