Washington: With the fall of Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's birthplace, the major combat
in Iraq may be over, as announced by the Pentagon, but Defence officials have made
it clear that the danger to US troops was far from over as the soldiers still
confronted firefights from local and non-Iraqi Arab volunteers.
There was remarkably little opposition in Tikrit, which was captured on April 14.
Local people said that the leaders fled five days ago. The crack troops supposed to
be ready to defend Tikrit to the death "disappeared", presumably shedding their
uniforms and melting into the local population.
With the end of organised resistance, the US is withdrawing two aircraft carrier
battle groups – USS Constellation and Kitty Hawk - though still leaving in the Gulf
three battle groups - the USS Nimitz, Harry S Truman and Theodore
Roosevelt.
Major General Stanley McChrystal, Vice Chief of Operations on the Joint Staff, said
that over time, the mix of land forces in Iraq will change.
As more and more of the country becomes stable, more military and civil affairs
specialists, engineers and military police will be needed, he said.
Meanwhile, the search for the presumed cause of the war, namely the discovery of
weapons of mass destruction, will continue, but a comment by Defence Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld indicated that the US can proclaim success no matter what
happens.
PTI
