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Excerpts: White House Iraq Strategy

Excerpts from a 35-page plan the White House issued Wednesday in defense of President Bush's policy in Iraq. The report defines victory and the enemies being fought, and gives a progress report on U.S. action in Iraq along political, economic and security fronts.

Victory Defined

* Short Term: An Iraq that is making steady progress in fighting terrorists, achieving political milestones, building democratic institutions, laying a foundation for a sound economy and training and equipping security forces.

* Medium Term: An Iraq that is taking the lead in defeating terrorists and providing its own security, has a constitutional government and is making economic gains.

* Longer Term: An Iraq that has defeated the terrorists and neutralized the insurgency, and has developed into a peaceful, united, stable and secure nation that is part of the international community and a partner in the war on terrorism.

The Enemy

* Rejectionists. The largest enemy group comprising mostly Sunni Arabs who have not embraced democratic reforms but are expected to support a new government if it protects the rights of the Sunnis, who are no longer part of the privileged elite in Iraq.

* Saddamists and former regime loyalists. They dream of restablishing a dictatorship. "We judge that few from this group can be won over to support a democratic Iraq, but that this group can be marginalized to the point where it can and will be defeated by Iraqi forces," the report said.

* Terrorists affiliated with or inspired by al-Qaeda. The smallest, but most lethal enemy group. "Terrorists and extremists from all parts of the Middle East and North Africa have found their way to Iraq and made common cause with indigenous religious extremists and former members of Saddam's regime," the report said. "This group cannot be won over and must be defeated -- killed or captured -- through sustained counterterrorism operations."

Six assumptions the Bush administration has made about improving security in Iraq.

* Insurgents can win only if the U.S. surrenders.

* There is enough political will in the U.S. to keep troops in Iraq to fight terrorists while training Iraqi forces until "the mission is done" -- increasing or decreasing troop levels only as conditions warrant.

* Making progress on the political front will more clearly identify those who are willing to support a new Iraqi government from terrorists or insurgents "who must be either killed or captured, detained and prosecuted."

* Training and equipping Iraqi security forces will create an army and police force that can maintain order in Iraq.

* Any meddling by outsiders can be contained or neutralized.

* Iraqis ultimately will have to eliminate threats to their own security.

Progress on the security front:

* In 2004, major parts of Iraq and important urban centers were no-go areas for Iraqi and coalition forces. Fallujah, Najaf and Samara were under enemy control. Today, these cities are under Iraqi government control.

* In March, Iraqi and coalition forces received more than 400 intelligence tips from Iraqi citizens; in August they received 3,300; and in September, more than 4,700.

* The ranks of Iraqi security forces are swelling. More than 212,000 security forces have been trained and equipped, compared with 96,000 in September 2004. There are more than 120 Iraqi army and police battalions in the fight -- up from five in August 2004. Of these battalions, more than 80 are fighting alongside coalition forces and more than 40 others are taking the lead in the fight.

* Iraqi forces are controlling more territory. In June 2004, no Iraqi security force unit controlled territory. Today, much of Baghdad province and Najaf and Karbala are controlled by Iraqi forces and other Iraqi battalions and brigades control hundreds of square miles of territory in other Iraqi provinces.

Progress on the political front:

* In January, 8.5 million Iraqis voted for Iraq's first freely elected national government and provincial governments.

* In April, elected leaders of Iraq's national legislature formed a diverse cabinet that represented all groups, despite election results that favored the Shiite and Kurdish communities.

* In the summer and fall, Iraq's elected national legislature, and the Sunni leaders invited to join the process, drafted a constitution.

* By the end of September, about 1 million new voters checked their names on Iraq's voting rolls -- the vast majority in Sunni areas. In October, nearly 10 million Iraqis voted in a referendum in which the constitution was ratified.

Progress on the economic front:

* Oil production has increased from an average of 1.58 million barrels a day in 2003 to an average of 2.25 million barrels a day in 2004. Iraq currently is producing on average 2.1 million barrels a day, a decrease due to terrorist attacks and dilapidated infrastructure.

* Iraq's gross domestic product rose from $13.6 billion in 2003 to $25.5 billion in 2004, led primarily by the recovery of the oil sector.

* Since April 2003, Iraq has registered more than 30,000 new businesses.

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