Casey refutes Iraq pessimism

The outgoing U.S. commander in Baghdad yesterday broke with his superiors, including President Bush, by telling a Senate committee he does not agree with their dire assessments that the Iraq war is failing.

“I do not agree that we have a failed policy,” Army Gen. George Casey told the Senate Armed Services Committee in confirmation hearings for him to be the next Army chief of staff.

Questioned by Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, Gen. Casey repeatedly defended his 21/2-year command, conceding that Baghdad fell into cycles of relentless killing during his term and that “the situation is definitely deteriorating in Baghdad.” But he said much of Iraq has made progress.

“I believe the president’s new strategy will enhance the policy that we have,” he said of Mr. Bush’s Jan. 10 plan to send 21,500 additional troops into Iraq, most to Baghdad.

As Gen. Casey testified, a bipartisan group of senators put the finishing touches on a nonbinding resolution opposing Mr. Bush’s troop boost. Sponsored by Sen. John W. Warner, Virginia Republican, and backed by Sen. Carl Levin, Michigan Democrat and Armed Services Committee chairman, the measure would also oppose a cutoff of war funds, an action demanded by some anti-war liberals.

It was not clear yesterday whether Mr. Warner has the 60 votes needed to clear the resolution for a floor vote.

Gen. Casey broke with comments by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who has said the United States is not winning, and with Navy Adm. William Fallon, who told the same committee this week that the strategy was not working. Adm. Fallon is to be the next Middle East commander.

The general did not stop there. Asked about Mr. Bush’s assessment that his Iraq policy was headed to “slow failure,” Gen. Casey said, “I actually don’t see it as a slow failure. I actually see it as slow progress.”

Mr. McCain announced he had strong reservations about confirming Gen. Casey. First, he said the four-star officer continued to give him optimistic assessments on Iraq violence, only to see bloodshed increase each time. Second, he said both of Gen. Casey’s campaigns to bring down violence in the capital failed in the summer and last fall because troops did not hold the neighborhoods they cleared of Shi’ite and Sunni insurgents.

“The result of these and other missteps have been unprecedented levels of violence in Iraq and a pervasive lack of security that prohibits political and economic activity,” the senator said.

When Mr. McCain read a 2004 quote from Gen. Casey saying Iraq forces would be able to take over security and curb violence by December 2005, the witness responded, “That obviously has not panned out.”

The general defended himself repeatedly. He said some of his favorable predictions came before al Qaeda bombed the Shi’ite golden dome mosque in Samara a year ago. U.S. commanders blame the attack for provoking Shi’ite reprisals, and then Sunni counterattacks that swelled into constant killings in and around Baghdad.

The senator also clashed with the general on troop strength.

Gen. Casey, who last fall opposed any troop increase because he wanted the Iraqis to take over security, said he recommended only two additional brigades during the White House review. Mr. Bush opted for five.

But he endorsed the ultimate plan, saying, “I believe that this five-brigade plan gives great flexibility” to his successor, Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus.

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