Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli: New Baghdad Strategy 'Will Work'

BAGHDAD, IRAQ, Aug. 8, 2006 — -- ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz continues her reports from Baghdad with an interview with Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, commander of the multinational forces in Iraq. He heads the new campaign to secure Baghdad, and he spoke with her about the effort.

The following is a transcript of their interview:

Martha Raddatz: I think people might look and say, 'Isn't this what you've been trying to do all along? Haven't you been trying to secure Baghdad?' So why is this different? Why do think this will work?'

Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli: Well, I think that this will work because we have a government. And we have a government that will be in power for four years. And they understand the necessity to move forward in Baghdad, to end the sectarian violence we've seen and realize that it will not be just done through security alone. It will be as critical to, in fact, convince the people of Baghdad that their government is legitimate and ready to provide for their basic needs.

Raddatz: Why did that happen? Is it that the [Iraqis] weren't ready? Is it that the insurgents and the enemy were focusing their attention on Baghdad? Why do you think during that period …

Chiarelli: Well, things have been different here since the golden dome, on the 22nd of February. That was kind of a defining moment that kicked off a round of sectarian violence that we -- that the forces in Baghdad got under control but has since got out of control, to some extent, to the point where we need to have additional forces in Baghdad.

The Iraqis are sending additional forces. We're committed to send additional forces. We're also committed to do something we haven't done before throughout the city and that's to build it back.

Raddatz: If it doesn't work then what happens?

Chiarelli: Well, it will work. It will work because the Iraqis are committed to making it work. It will work because the Iraqis are providing additional forces into Baghdad. It will work because the Iraqis are committed to rebuild the city and to begin the process of rebuilding the city and providing basic services for their people. I really honestly believe that. And that'll be the turning point, I believe, that will give that government legitimacy. And that's critical in the life of any new government, is to reach that point where they are the legitimate government.

Raddatz: What exactly have you done?

Chiarelli: Basically, we're going through the entire neighborhoods and just through just about every single home in what we would call a soft knock, where you go up and hopefully meet the head of the household, go through and check out that house. And also, attempt to try to get some intelligence when you're in there. All this is just part of a process of making the people feel good about their security. That's absolutely critical. They've got to feel good about that, and we have got to hold it and build on it.

Raddatz: If I'm an Iraqi, and I'm looking at the situation in Baghdad in the next couple of weeks, in the next couple of months, what's different? Why would I feel more secure?

Chiarelli: What you're going to see in those neighborhoods is restricted access. In addition to that, you're going to see Strykers, Iraqi security forces ensuring that people we don't want in the neighborhood don't get in the neighborhood. The traffic coming in the neighborhood is properly searched. And throughout that neighborhood, we're going to be looking to see if we can find any caches of weapons, arms, any terrorist cells, vbid factories -- anything that would make that neighborhood not secure.

Raddatz: One of the things you see around the country over the years is you move into an area, you concentrate on that area, and either another area goes bad and you don't have enough people there or when you move out of the area you originally moved into in greater number, it falls back into violence again.

Chiarelli: One of the things that's different this time really is the Iraqi army. And the Iraqi army gave us the ability not only to bring additional forces into Baghdad, but it also gave us the ability to bring additional coalition forces into Baghdad because of their presence in other areas. Some people have indicated that we've taken risk in those areas. I would take exception with that. We have in fact been able to bring U.S. forces, additional U.S. forces throughout the country because of the fact we have Iraqi forces that are able to handle their particular sectors.

Raddatz: Police are key in these operations?

Chiarelli: Absolutely.

Raddatz: You've had your police force infiltrated by militias. That's a problem. It's clearly one of the reasons I assume that the American forces are coming in as well. Because the Iraqis trust them?

Chiarelli: Well, there's two types of police forces in Baghdad -- there's the two national police divisions. And there are some issues with the national police divisions. Less so with the "cop-on-the-beach," so to speak. Those police are doing a good job now, but they're going to do a better job because we're going to be able to provide a 14-man training team to each one of those police stations. And we really believe that this will take this 25,000 manned police force in Baghdad and make it so much better over time.

Raddatz: I know public works projects are key to this plan, correct?

Chiarelli: What's key is giving the Iraqis something that they want that will show them that their government cares for them and is going to provide for the future. That's going to make life better for them and their families. That's what's key. And that's what will turn the 7 million people or 6.5 million people of Baghdad to decide on their government and give us the opportunity for the first time, I think, to provide real security in Baghdad. You have to remember in Iraq that Baghdad is so key and critical. If we can win in Baghdad, it will have an effect throughout the country.

Raddatz: [Iraqi] Prime Minister Maliki had a press conference complaining about the raid in Sadr City, that aircraft were brought in. How can you do what you need to do if the government doesn't cooperate on something like the Sadr City raid?

Chiarelli: The prime minister has to do what the prime minister has to do. And I understand that and we all understand that. We really believe that he and the rest of his government are going to see in the next month or so a noticeable improvement through the [inaudible] districts that we work in, and I'm sure that we're going to get the full support of the government and the ministries in doing what we need to do in Baghdad.