By Jim GaramoneAmerican Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 22, 2007 – Changes in Iraq’s Anbar province and the failure of the Taliban spring offensive in Afghanistan are good signs, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during an interview today on his way home from Iraq and Afghanistan.
During his flight home, Marine Gen. Peter Pace spoke about his trip to Iraq and Afghanistan. In Iraq he took part in a series of meetings with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates; Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, the commander of U.S. Central Command; Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq; and Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq.
Gates, Pace and Fallon arrived in Baghdad on April 19. A total of 12 helicopters airlifted the party to Fallujah for briefings with Marines about the situation in Anbar province then back to Baghdad for meetings at Camp Victory.
On April 20, the U.S. leaders, including U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, met with Iraqi leaders, including President Jalal Talabani, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Defense Minister Abd al-Qadir al-Mufriji. At the conclusion of that meeting, Gates flew back to Washington, and Pace went on to Afghanistan.
Pace said the meeting with U.S. and Iraqi leaders was tremendously helpful to him. He said civilian and military leaders in Baghdad were able to give the secretary and him the ground truth in Iraq, and Gates and he were able to give U.S. leaders in Iraq what the ground truth is in Washington.
(PHOTO: Photo: Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates meets with Iraqi Minister of Interior Juwad Bulani while Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Marine Gen. Peter Pace and U.S. Central Command Commander Adm. William Fallon look on in Baghdad, April 20, 2007. Defense Dept. photo by Cherie A. Thurlby)
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