I’m pleased with the progress to date

General Casey Wednesday August 30th 2006: "I don't have a definite date, but I can see, 12 to 18 months, the Iraqi security forces progressing to where they can take on security responsibilities with very little Coalition support," Casey said. [snip] Casey is proud of the strides made so far, but said there is much work still to be done. "I'm pleased with the progress to date, but we have a long way to go," he said. [snip] [Source: Centcom.mil] Iraq Thursday August 31st 2006: Baghdad Baquba Kirkuk Najaf In other violence, according to Iraqi authorities: Gunmen in Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, killed two brothers in a cotton shop. Gunmen shot and killed a member of the oil ministry's security service and wounded another in Baghdad. An Iraqi soldier wearing civilian clothing was shot and killed while walking in the city of Mosul, 225 miles northwest of Baghdad. In Kut, 100 miles southeast of Baghdad, the body of a young woman riddled with bullets was brought to the morgue after being dumped on a main road. Gunmen killed a former intelligence official in Saddam Hussein's regime as he was walking in Mahaweel area, about 35 miles south of Baghdad What progress would that be exactly? markfromireland