September report key to Iraq assessment
WASHINGTON, June 17 (UPI) -- The time to determine how long U.S. forces will be in Iraq is September, when a key report will be presented to Congress, the Senate's top Republican says.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said most GOP senators would withhold judgment until September when they hear a multi-level assessment by Gen. David Petraeus, U.S. commanding general in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, U.S. ambassador to Iraq.
"The Iraqis will have to step up, not only on the political side but on the military side, to a greater extent. We're not there forever," McConnell said Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation" with Bob Schieffer.
"But I think the proper time to really make a serious evaluation of the direction we ought to head is in September."
Agreeing with the less-than-rosy assessment was Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
"There's no progress on the political side, and that's the key," he said.
"They're still deadlocked there. There's still political paralysis in that government. And unless there's a political solution, unless these factions come together in Iraq, there's not going to be any hope of a successful outcome here."
Petraeus: 'Forthright assessment' ahead
WASHINGTON, June 17 (UPI) -- The U.S. military surge in Iraq is working and is pushing into al-Qaida sanctuaries previously seldom visited by coalition forces, Gen. David Petraeus says.
Addressing concerns the surge may not be working -- including a Pentagon report indicating insurgent violence has shifted to other regions of the country -- the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said, "We're ahead of where we thought, I thought, we would be at this point in time, and then we are behind where we might have been in some other areas."
The general, speaking on "Fox News Sunday," cited the "stunning reversal" in Anbar, a province many viewed as lost less than a year ago but where now tribes seek coalition help in fighting al-Qaida.
In Baghdad, he said, about 30 percent of the neighborhoods are hot spots causing "real concern" because of "the fault lines between Sunni and Shiites."
Come September, when he and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker update lawmakers, Petraeus said it would be a "forthright assessment" of what has and has not been achieved militarily, economically and politically.
He said he believes the United States could still leave a stable, democratic government in Iraq.
Kidnappers deny deal to release reporter
GAZA, Gaza, June 17 (UPI) -- The kidnappers of a BBC journalist in Gaza have denied an earlier deal they made with Hamas to release the correspondent.
Alan Johnston, 45, was kidnapped more than three months ago by a group calling itself the Army of Islam, the BBC reported. Johnston was the only Western reporter stationed in Gaza.
The Army of Islam reportedly posted a video on the Internet in which Johnston appeared and said he was being treated well.
"The BBC journalist will be released within the next hours, today," Hamas spokesman Abu Osama al-Mouti said at a news conference Sunday in Tehran.
But, the BBC reported, the group later denied the deal, saying Johnston could still be killed, making vague references to "developments" in talks with Hamas.
Rockets launched into northern Israel
KIRYAT SHMONA, Israel, June 17 (UPI) -- Two Katyusha rockets were launched into northern Israel Sunday with initial reports claiming they were launched from southern Lebanon.
The rocket attack, which regional media reported was launched from the Lebanese town of Marjayoun, resulted in no injuries in the Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona, Ynetnews reported.
Israel military sources said the attack may represent an attempt by Palestinian groups operating in Lebanon to escalate regional border violence.
Hezbollah denied having any involvement with the rocket attack and the Israeli Northern Command was evaluating it.
Police sources said the Katyusha rockets were primitive in their design and the firing method used to launch them was not similar to that of Hezbollah.
Ynetnews said Israeli army officials were concerned the Shiite group may have provided those responsible with the munitions needed for the operation.
