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| US general upbeat on Iraq 'surge' | US general upbeat on Iraq 'surge' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The US military commander in Iraq says there are grounds for optimism over the latest security drive. | The US military commander in Iraq says there are grounds for optimism over the latest security drive. |
| Gen David Petraeus told the BBC that with two out of the five extra brigades now on the ground in Iraq, there had been fewer sectarian attacks. | |
| He said he would have an idea of the chance of success once all extra troops were deployed in the coming months. | He said he would have an idea of the chance of success once all extra troops were deployed in the coming months. |
| Four American soldiers were ambushed and killed while patrolling western Baghdad on Saturday. | |
| Their unit was hit by a roadside bomb and then came under small-arms fire. | |
| A fifth American soldier died in a non-combat related incident in the northern city of Tikrit. | |
| 'Returning families' | 'Returning families' |
| The new "surge" policy is aimed at curbing sectarian and insurgent violence in Baghdad and Anbar province. | |
| I have an obligation to the young men and women in uniform out here, that if I think it's not going to happen, to tell them Gen David PetraeusUS military commander in Iraq | |
| Gen Petraeus said: "By early June, we should then have everyone roughly in place - and that will allow us to establish the density in partnership with Iraqi security forces that you need to really get a good grip on the security situation." | Gen Petraeus said: "By early June, we should then have everyone roughly in place - and that will allow us to establish the density in partnership with Iraqi security forces that you need to really get a good grip on the security situation." |
| He said there were "encouraging signs", although he added that he did not want to get "overly optimistic at all on the basis of several weeks of a reduced sectarian murder rate". | He said there were "encouraging signs", although he added that he did not want to get "overly optimistic at all on the basis of several weeks of a reduced sectarian murder rate". |
| He said the new operation had led hundreds of families to return to "neighbourhoods that had really emptied out". | He said the new operation had led hundreds of families to return to "neighbourhoods that had really emptied out". |
| But Gen Petraeus also pledged to speak candidly if he thought the operation was not working. | But Gen Petraeus also pledged to speak candidly if he thought the operation was not working. |
| He said: "I have an obligation to the young men and women in uniform out here, that if I think it's not going to happen, to tell them that it's not going to happen, and there needs to be a change. | He said: "I have an obligation to the young men and women in uniform out here, that if I think it's not going to happen, to tell them that it's not going to happen, and there needs to be a change. |
| "In other words, if you can't accomplish your mission, you owe that to your boss - and you owe that, more importantly, to those who are out there serving in the coalition." | "In other words, if you can't accomplish your mission, you owe that to your boss - and you owe that, more importantly, to those who are out there serving in the coalition." |
| War protests | |
| Sectarian violence in Iraq rose sharply after an attack on a Shia shrine in Samarra last year. | Sectarian violence in Iraq rose sharply after an attack on a Shia shrine in Samarra last year. |
| The monthly Iraqi death toll hit a record high in October, with more than 3,700 people losing their lives, according to a UN report. | The monthly Iraqi death toll hit a record high in October, with more than 3,700 people losing their lives, according to a UN report. |
| In December US President George W Bush announced the deployment of a total of 21,500 extra troops in Iraq. | In December US President George W Bush announced the deployment of a total of 21,500 extra troops in Iraq. |
| In early March Defence Secretary Robert Gates approved a request for an extra 2,200 military police to support the security drive in Baghdad. | In early March Defence Secretary Robert Gates approved a request for an extra 2,200 military police to support the security drive in Baghdad. |
| The Democrats, who now control Congress, have condemned Mr Bush's policy, and some have suggested legislation requiring US troops to return from Iraq if security goals are not met. | The Democrats, who now control Congress, have condemned Mr Bush's policy, and some have suggested legislation requiring US troops to return from Iraq if security goals are not met. |
| Thousands of anti-war protesters have been marching in the US and elsewhere to mark the fourth anniversary this coming Tuesday of the start of the Iraq conflict. | |
| In Washington, the marchers followed the same route as a demonstration in 1967 against the US involvement in Vietnam. |