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BAGHDAD - Washington's top general and diplomat in Iraq conceded today that past experience might breed doubts about a new US-backed Iraqi security plan for Baghdad but they insisted this time will be different.
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a Shi'ite Islamist, announced the plan a week ago and President Bush has pledged 21,500 extra troops, most for Baghdad, saying the plan's success will "in large part determine the outcome in Iraq".
But Maliki's eight-month-old government has pledged many times to crack down on militias, including some linked to his Shi'ite political allies, and has so far not done so.
Sunni Arabs are deeply skeptical of whether majority Shi'ites are really willing to take on militias and push through political steps such as reforming a ban on former Baath party members in public life and agreeing an oil revenue sharing deal.
"We have been here before," General George Casey told a news conference. But he said this time there was greater Iraqi "buy-in" as Iraqis had conceived the plan, both on the security and political front, and Iraqis would lead its implementation.
"As with every plan there are no guarantees of success," Casey said. "But ... I believe this plan can work."
US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said that while some might question the Iraqi government's resolve to take the necessary steps to "break the cycle of sectarian violence that's tearing Baghdad apart", he was convinced of the Maliki's determination.
"This is a defining moment, we're in a new phase," he said. "I'm confident the Iraqi leaders understand the gravity of the moment." But he conceded: "The Iraqi people ... certainly have suffered a lot and they have heard positive predictions before."
No instant fix
Both Khalilzad and Casey are due to be replaced as part of Bush's reworking of his Iraq strategy following his Republicans' defeat at Congressional elections in November, seen as a slap in the face from US voters for his Iraq war policies.
Casey said the first additional US troops who will take part in the new Baghdad plan had arrived in the Iraqi capital.
He cautioned the Iraqi public not to expect instant results. "It's not going to happen overnight," he said, speaking of a "gradual evolution" over two to three months.
Both men said the troop surge would accelerate plans to hand over security responsibility to Iraqis. "We muscle up in the short term to set the stage for the Iraqis to deal with the situation for themselves in the long term," Khalilzad said.
Asked about reports of frustration among US officials with Iraqi counterparts over the planning of an operation to be led by the Iraqi government with US help, Casey said: "Transitions generate friction. And we are in a period of transition."
But he said US and Iraqi officials were working to ensure a workable command structure that would allow Iraqi control while maintaining security and effectiveness of US troops.
"We are working out understandings at every level to ensure there are no misunderstandings," Casey said.
"This is a plan that is Iraqi-conceived but we have been involved every step of the way," he said. "American forces will remain under American command ... Our forces will not be put at risk because of the command relationship."
Khalilzad said an important part of Bush's strategy was to stop "hostile regional interference", notably by Iran and Syria. "We're going after their networks in Iraq," he said.
US forces are holding five Iranians following a raid on an Iranian government office in Arbil last week -- the second such operation in recent weeks. Casey said there was no disagreement with Iraqi officials that they were "intelligence agents".
Iraq's foreign minister has endorsed Iranian calls for the release of the five men, saying they were operating legally.
- REUTERS
