So, these political activities will create friction in and of themselves, and in this environment of friction there'll be additional violence.

But as we move from this period of what many Iraqis regard as perceived occupation, we need to move towards one of partnership.

Morale is good; troops are confident; leaders are capable.

And over time, I think, as Iraqi security capacity builds, you'll see American and coalition presence there decline.

And so I think that if the person has the funds, the network, and the equipment to do this, and also the experience, which is the key factor, then they can be quite deadly.

But the truth of the matter is that there is there is an opportunity for them to participate in the economic and political future of the country and certainly in the security life of the country.

We'll try to include Iraqi officers in our staffs. We will do everything we can to empower Iraqi security forces to stand up on their own and operate where they can alone.