Words get in the way in Iraq

George W Bush

Washington on Monday changed tack in its response to a senior official's comments that the US had shown "arrogance" and "stupidity" in Iraq, no longer denying the remarks had been made.

Misspoke not misquote
"We tried to do our best [in Iraq] but I think there is much room for criticism because, undoubtedly, there was arrogance and there was stupidity from the United States in Iraq," a senior State Department official, Alberto Fernandez, told Al Jazeera according to a Reuters reporter who heard the interview, which was in Arabic. The department's director of public diplomacy for Near Eastern affairs said later: "Upon reading the transcript ... I realised I seriously misspoke by using the phrase 'there has been arrogance and stupidity' by the US in Iraq. This represents neither my views nor those of the State Department. I apologise." The department had said the English translation of the comments posted on Al Jazeera's English-language website had misquoted Fernandez.

The big picture
"We will continue to be flexible and make every necessary change to prevail in this struggle. Our goal in Iraq is clear and unchanging," President George W Bush said yesterday. The White House has drawn a distinction between flexibility on tactics and a big overhaul of the strategy in Iraq. The Administration is believed to be drawing up a detailed plan to hand over ever-greater responsibility to the Government in Baghdad and pave the way for an eventual US withdrawal. It would establish a series of deadlines by which Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and his Government would be expected to make progress on disarming sectarian militias, improving security and establishing clear political and economic progress. Bush hashed out a draft of the plan on Sunday in a video conference with top political and military advisers. It is likely to be finalised before the end of the year.

On the ground
The Iraqi Government has been meeting Shiite clerics to enlist their support in calming militia infighting in southern Iraq as well as sectarian strife between Shiites and Sunnis. Disarming militias has proved difficult for Maliki, who relies on the support of the political groups linked to the militias. In an attack that highlights the problems Washington faces in recruiting and training Iraqi security forces, 13 police recruits were killed and 25 wounded in an ambush on a convoy of buses near the town of Baquba. US military deaths in Iraq in October have reached 83, making it the most deadly month for Americans this year.

- REUTERS, INDEPENDENT