2130 US, European, and other Coalition member casualties in Iraq since invasion
The top US commander in Iraq acknowledged Thursday conditions may worsen in Iraq because of Sunni opposition even if a constitution is approved in next month's referendum. General George Casey said plans to reduce US forces over the next year will depend heavily on the outcome of the political process and insurgents were expected to pull out all stops to defeat it. Casey predicted in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee that the constitution would likely be approved in the October 15 vote even if, as expected, Sunnis vote against it by a large majority. Sunnis need a two-thirds majority in three provinces to block the constitution, which provides for national elections on December 15. But when asked whether the situation could worsen in Iraq even if the constitution is approved but with a large Sunni "no" vote, Casey said, "I think that's entirely possible." Other senators sharply questioned the progress being made by in Iraq, zeroing in on a disclosure by Casey that only one Iraqi battalion was operating fully independently. The last time Casey reported to Congress several months ago, he said three battalions were fully capable.
"We fully recognize that Iraqi armed forces will not have an independent capability for some time, because they don't have an institutional base to support them," he said. "And so Level One is one battalion. "It was three. Now it’s gone from three to one?" interjected Senator John McCain, a Republican from Arizona.
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