U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (L) shakes hands with Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (R) during a meeting at the Prime Minister's office in Baghdad July 28, 2009. Gates, on a previously unannounced mission, urged Iraq's communities to settle political differences before US troops leave by the end of 2011. REUTERS/Jim Watson/Pool (POLITICS MILITARY)From Yahoo News/Reuters:
BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said during a visit to Iraq on Tuesday that the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from urban bases was paying off as Iraqi forces assumed the lead for the fragile security.
Gates is expected to touch on possible arms sales during his visit and try to help bridge a deep divide between ethnic Kurds and Arabs that many fear may undermine security gains.
"Nobody's the boss or the occupier, or however you want to put it. But there's a real sense of empowerment by the Iraqis," Gates said of U.S.-Iraqi cooperation following the June 30 deadline for pulling U.S. combat troops out of city bases.
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My Comment: Attacks and casualties have decreased in Iraq, and with the British now leaving, the U.S. will be the last of the coalition in the country. Will things still continue in a positive direction .... everyone is hoping that this will continue, but everyone is also very worried.
Lets face it, if things were "honky-dory" .... Secretary of Gates would not be visiting Iraq right now.