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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Najaf handed to Iraqis' control | Najaf handed to Iraqis' control |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The US military has handed over security of Iraq's Najaf province, south of the capital Baghdad, to government forces. | The US military has handed over security of Iraq's Najaf province, south of the capital Baghdad, to government forces. |
| Najaf is the third province to come under Iraqi security control. | Najaf is the third province to come under Iraqi security control. |
| The handover occurred as the new US Defence Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Iraq two days after taking office. | The handover occurred as the new US Defence Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Iraq two days after taking office. |
| Mr Gates is meeting military commanders and Iraqi politicians to get advice on a new policy for the country that President George W Bush is formulating. | Mr Gates is meeting military commanders and Iraqi politicians to get advice on a new policy for the country that President George W Bush is formulating. |
| 'Growing capability' | 'Growing capability' |
| The handover ceremony took place under heavy security in a stadium in the city of Najaf, the province's capital. | The handover ceremony took place under heavy security in a stadium in the city of Najaf, the province's capital. |
| The senior US commander present, Maj Gen Kurt Cichowski, said the handover was a sign of the growing capability of Iraq's security forces. | The senior US commander present, Maj Gen Kurt Cichowski, said the handover was a sign of the growing capability of Iraq's security forces. |
| If we don't handle the responsibility, history will destroy us Iraq's national security adviser Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie | If we don't handle the responsibility, history will destroy us Iraq's national security adviser Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie |
| But Iraq's national security adviser, Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie, sounded a note of caution. | But Iraq's national security adviser, Mouwaffaq al-Rubaie, sounded a note of caution. |
| "If we don't handle the responsibility, history will destroy us," he said. | "If we don't handle the responsibility, history will destroy us," he said. |
| British forces handed over Muthana province in the south in July and Dhi Qar province was transferred to Iraqi control in September. | British forces handed over Muthana province in the south in July and Dhi Qar province was transferred to Iraqi control in September. |
| The UK wants to hand over Basra province in the first half of 2007. | The UK wants to hand over Basra province in the first half of 2007. |
| As the ceremony was taking place, Mr Gates arrived in Baghdad to examine in person the options facing the US in Iraq. | As the ceremony was taking place, Mr Gates arrived in Baghdad to examine in person the options facing the US in Iraq. |
| Military over-stretch | Military over-stretch |
| The visit comes as the White House confirmed that Mr Bush was thinking about increasing the numbers of US troops in Iraq. | The visit comes as the White House confirmed that Mr Bush was thinking about increasing the numbers of US troops in Iraq. |
| Mr Bush said the current military is being stretched too thinMr Bush also told the Washington Post newspaper that the US might need a larger military to deal with the broader, long-term fight against terrorism. | Mr Bush said the current military is being stretched too thinMr Bush also told the Washington Post newspaper that the US might need a larger military to deal with the broader, long-term fight against terrorism. |
| Mr Gates has been asked to assess both ideas. | Mr Gates has been asked to assess both ideas. |
| The president said he agreed with Pentagon and Capitol Hill officials that the military is being stretched too thin. | The president said he agreed with Pentagon and Capitol Hill officials that the military is being stretched too thin. |
| The US currently has about 140,000 troops in Iraq. | The US currently has about 140,000 troops in Iraq. |
| Some military commanders have been sceptical that more troops will alter the situation. | Some military commanders have been sceptical that more troops will alter the situation. |
| One of them, the commander of US forces in the Middle East Gen John Abizaid, is to retire after more than three years in the job, and will do so early next year, a spokesman for US Central Command said. | |
| Gen Abizaid had been due to leave in July this year, but former Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had asked him to stay on until early 2007. | |
| His departure will clear the way for the new defence secretary to choose his own commander in the strategic region, correspondents say. | |
| Increasing violence | Increasing violence |
| Mr Bush said he has not yet made a decision about a new strategy for Iraq, which he is expected to announce next month. | Mr Bush said he has not yet made a decision about a new strategy for Iraq, which he is expected to announce next month. |
| Attacks on US and Iraqi troops and civilians reached their highest level since power was handed over to an interim Iraqi government in June 2004, a Pentagon report said on Monday. | Attacks on US and Iraqi troops and civilians reached their highest level since power was handed over to an interim Iraqi government in June 2004, a Pentagon report said on Monday. |
| It said the worst violence was in Baghdad and the western province of Anbar, long the focus of activity by Sunni insurgents. | It said the worst violence was in Baghdad and the western province of Anbar, long the focus of activity by Sunni insurgents. |
| The report came just hours after the new defence secretary said failure in Iraq would be a "calamity" that would haunt the US for many years. | The report came just hours after the new defence secretary said failure in Iraq would be a "calamity" that would haunt the US for many years. |