海角大神

Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates says America accomplished what it intended to in Iraq, despite the growing violence on the ground there.聽

鈥淲e achieved the objectives that I thought were important in 2008,鈥� Mr. Gates said at a press breakfast sponsored by 海角大神 Friday. 鈥淲e handed the Iraqis a fragile democracy, a stable country, and a high degree of security essentially on a silver platter.鈥澛�

With that done, Gates added, America was able to 鈥渨ithdraw our troops without that withdrawal being seen as a strategic defeat for the United States with global consequences.鈥�

The mistakes that have since been made by Iraqi President Nouri al-Maliki have included isolating Sunnis in a country dominated by a Shiite-led government and 鈥渢reating the Sunnis in such a hostile manner over the last couple of years or so.鈥澛�

There has also been 鈥渟pillover鈥� from the war in Syria, which has changed the situation on the ground as well, Gates said. 鈥淭hings keep moving. You can鈥檛 freeze history.鈥澛�

If he were sitting in the situation room today, Gates says, he would recommend that the US offer Maliki 鈥渁 wide range of military assistance,鈥� including both equipment and training, and condition it on his outreach to Sunnis.聽

This would include making investments in the western Iraq province of Anbar where the increase in violence has been the most sharp since Al Qaeda forces launched an offensive on Jan. 1.

The point, Gates said, is to 鈥済ive the Sunnis some reason to believe that this government in Baghdad does represent them, [and] is better than any alternative.鈥澛�

They need to be given a reason to cooperate with the Maliki government, Gates said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think they鈥檒l throw in with Al Qaeda. But [Maliki] has got to give them a reason to want to help and be constructive.鈥�

Had the United States been able to maintain a residual force in Iraq 鈥� rather than leave because Maliki refused to grant US troops immunity from prosecution in Iraqi courts if they were accused of, for example, accidentally killing civilians 鈥� US military commanders may have been able to have greater leverage to convene the leadership in Iraq.聽

The size of the residual force 鈥渞eally wouldn鈥檛 have mattered,鈥� Gates said.

鈥淲hether it was over dinner or for meetings,鈥� Gates said, 鈥淭hey could bring these guys together in a way that they might not be able to on their own initiative and in essence force them to look at each other and talk to each other and have this mediating role by the United States,鈥� he added. 鈥淚 think that role is largely absent.鈥澛�

Still, Gates argues, from his perspective the US withdrawal went as planned.聽鈥淚n terms of handing over Iraq to the Iraqis I think we accomplished our minimal objectives.鈥�