Reply #21: LAT/AP: Senior Pentagon Generals Raise Fears of Iraq Civil War

[DeepModem Mom]

Generals Raise Fears of Iraq Civil War
By ANNE PLUMMER FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer
August 3, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Two of the Pentagon's most senior generals told Congress on Thursday that the surge in sectarian violence in Baghdad in recent weeks raises the possibility of Iraq descending into civil war.

"Iraq could move toward civil war" if the violence is not contained, Gen. John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"I believe that the sectarian violence is probably as bad as I have seen it," he said, adding that the top priority in Iraq is to secure the capital, where factional violence has surged in recent weeks despite efforts by the new Iraqi government to stop the fighting. President Bush last week approved an increase in the number of U.S. troops in Baghdad as part of a new effort to help Iraqi security forces get a grip on the sectarian tensions.

Abizaid also said under questioning that it was possible that U.S. casualties could rise as a result of the battle to contain sectarian violence in the capital.

"I think it's possible that in the period ahead of us in Baghdad that we'll take increased casualties -- that's possible," he said....

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/ats-ap_top10aug03,0,3856597.story