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04-23-04, 08:46 AM
Associated Press
April 23, 2004
SEARCY, Ark. - The recent rise in insurgent attacks in Iraq could be tied to the U.S. election cycle, the former commander of American forces in the region said Thursday.
Retired Army Gen. Tommy Franks said he expects the attacks on military forces and civilians to escalate in frequency and sophistication as the presidential election nears. April has been the deadliest month since the war began March 20, 2003.
"When you see simultaneous bombings, that implies a level of organization which we haven't seen before," he said. "If you were a terrorist, you would work very hard during this period to create difficulties, and I believe that's an awful lot of what we're seeing right now."
Franks' comments came before he spoke Thursday night as part of Harding University's American Studies Institute Distinguished Lecture Series.
Despite increasing bloodshed, Franks said the coalition should hand control of the country to an as-yet-unnamed Iraqi government on June 30 as planned.
"The difficulties we see in Iraq are not likely to be over by the end of June, or perhaps by November or next January," he said. "But ultimately it will be the people of Iraq who will settle Iraq down and give the citizens of that country a chance."
Franks headed the U.S. Central Command for three years and oversaw military operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He retired in August.
Commenting on his portrayal in Bob Woodward's book "Plan of Attack," Franks said he may have cursed when asked to develop a war plan for Iraq while fighting in Afghanistan, as the journalist reported. He declined further comment, and said he's working on his own book.
April 23, 2004
SEARCY, Ark. - The recent rise in insurgent attacks in Iraq could be tied to the U.S. election cycle, the former commander of American forces in the region said Thursday.
Retired Army Gen. Tommy Franks said he expects the attacks on military forces and civilians to escalate in frequency and sophistication as the presidential election nears. April has been the deadliest month since the war began March 20, 2003.
"When you see simultaneous bombings, that implies a level of organization which we haven't seen before," he said. "If you were a terrorist, you would work very hard during this period to create difficulties, and I believe that's an awful lot of what we're seeing right now."
Franks' comments came before he spoke Thursday night as part of Harding University's American Studies Institute Distinguished Lecture Series.
Despite increasing bloodshed, Franks said the coalition should hand control of the country to an as-yet-unnamed Iraqi government on June 30 as planned.
"The difficulties we see in Iraq are not likely to be over by the end of June, or perhaps by November or next January," he said. "But ultimately it will be the people of Iraq who will settle Iraq down and give the citizens of that country a chance."
Franks headed the U.S. Central Command for three years and oversaw military operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He retired in August.
Commenting on his portrayal in Bob Woodward's book "Plan of Attack," Franks said he may have cursed when asked to develop a war plan for Iraq while fighting in Afghanistan, as the journalist reported. He declined further comment, and said he's working on his own book.