WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Middle East experts Wednesday called on Iraqi Prime Minster Iyad Allawi and U.S. President Bush to honestly assess the progress in Iraq.
"We need real accomplishments and real progress and honest measures of capability. Not sound-bites for rhetoric, which are not substantiated by the figures being issued by the United States government," Anthony Cordesman, who holds the Areligh Burke Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said during a Washington forum.
Members of the forum Wednesday said the Iraqi people continue to struggle in the midst of kidnappings, muggings and burglaries, making it difficult to live their daily lives. Aid has not been reaching ordinary Iraqis, they added.
Also, the equipment and training of the Iraqi military is grossly inadequate, they said.
"He (Allawi) cannot gain political support unless he shows progress in controlling violence," said Jon Alterman, director of CSIS Middle East program.
Allawi is scheduled Thursday to address a joint session of Congress and appear with Bush at a White House news conference.
