Amidst concern over the pace of reconciliation efforts in Iraq, Vice President Dick Cheney has said that the government is eager that the forces complete their work in Iraq.
Brushing aside the controversy surrounding the one month long break in August, Cheney said that the break "is better than taking two months off, which was their original plan."
His comments came after a formal report on US-led efforts in Iraq found unsatisfactory progress towards passing key legislation, like a law to govern oil revenue sharing, aimed at tamping down sectarian strife.
Cheney also said that the March 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq was the right decision and predicted that the September report on the US-led security crackdown would reveal "significant progress" towards US aims.
Referring to the formal assessment from the US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, and US Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Cheney said, "The reports I'm hearing from people whose views I respect indicate that indeed the Petraeus plan is in fact producing results."
The vice president, however, confessed he made a mistake in May 2005 when he assessed the strength of Iraq's insurgency as being in the last throes. - DDNEWS India
