U.S. troops need new role in Iraq

Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, has given testimony to Congress which was primarily a biased report supporting the Bush administration's policy in Iraq.

The majority of Americans are skeptical of his analysis and support for a time to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq. A White House report of progress in Iraq and a visit by Bush to the Anbar province in Iraq haven't changed the American people's attitude toward the war.

There have been no significant changes in the view of a majority that the invasion of Iraq was a mistake and the United States isn't likely to win. Sixty percent of Americans say we should set a timetable to pull out forces and stick to that timetable regardless of what is going on in Iraq, believing the Iraqi people should settle their problem.

The Shiite and Sunni sects of the Islamic religion have been in conflict for 1,300 years and this conflict shows no signs of abatement. Less violence in Iraq is the result of 2 million Iraqis abandoning their nation and 2 million others seeking the safety of refugee camps.

South Iraq is controlled by the Shiites. North Iraq is controlled by the Kurds. West Iraq is controlled by the Sunnis. Iraq has ceased to exist as a nation and is now a federation of three separate entities. The purpose of American military forces in Iraq should be to provide security for those people in Iraq wishing to travel to one of the three parts of the federation.

Richard F. Nelson

Aurora