Political meddling, no Iraq polls worry U.S. general (Reuters)

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Political meddling, no Iraq polls worry U.S. general
Sun Jun 10, 2007 11:47AM EDT

By Paul Tait

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Poor provincial governance and
political interference in security matters are two of the
biggest obstacles U.S. and Iraqi forces face in the fight
against Iraq's insurgency, a top U.S. commander said on
Sunday.

Major-General Rick Lynch, commander of U.S. forces in an
area stretching from Baghdad's southern suburbs south
through a region known as the "Triangle of Death", said
political decisions were being made along sectarian lines at
all levels.

He said of the three tiers which comprise the U.S. strategy
in Iraq, governance issues worried him more than security
matters and transition work towards handing control back
to Iraqi institutions.

-snip-

Lynch said U.S. commanders believed the elections were
crucial if Iraq was to have a truly representative government
in which decisions were not made along sectarian lines. Sunni
Arabs boycotted the last provincial elections in 2005.

"That has to happen. We'll facilitate an election, but the
government of Iraq has to schedule those elections," Lynch
said.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSHO05662820070610