US Commander Warns Against Expecting Quick Results from Iraq Plan

The U.S. commander in Iraq has warned against expecting quick results in the new U.S.-Iraqi plan to improve security. Speaking to reporters on Monday in Baghdad, General George Casey said he expects a gradual evolution that will take months to show results. The plan -- announced last week by President Bush -- includes the deployment of more than 20-thousand additional U.S. troops to Iraq.

General Casey said he believes there is a strong level of commitment by Iraqi political leaders to the effort. But he acknowledged there are still difficulties with the organization of Iraqi security forces.

President Bush has acknowledged that his administration's decisions have contributed to instability in Iraq.

In an interview with the CBS news magazine "60 Minutes" broadcast Sunday, Mr. Bush said history will find ways the United States could have done things better in Iraq. But Mr. Bush stood by his decision to remove former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Mr. Bush called Saddam a significant source of instability.

美军在伊拉克的指挥官警告人们不要期待美国加强伊拉克安全的伊拉克新战略能很快奏效。乔治.凯西将军星期一在巴格达对记者说，他预计，这个新战略需要几个月才能逐渐见成效。布什总统上个星期宣布的新战略包括向伊拉克增派两万多名美军。

凯西将军说， 他相信伊拉克的政界领袖非常支持这一努力，但是他承认，伊拉克安全部队在组织结构上仍然存在很多困难。

布什总统承认，美国行政当局的一些决定也对伊拉克局势的不稳定有责任。

美国哥伦比亚广播公司星期天的“60分钟”电视节目播放了对布什总统的采访。布什总统在采访中说，从历史的角度来看，美国或许应该在解决伊拉克的问题问题上做得更好，但是，他坚持认为把伊拉克前领导人萨达姆赶下台是正确的决定。布什说，萨达姆是造成伊拉克不稳定的重大根源。