Mid-East media dissect US findings

Gen David Petraeus (L) and US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker

The press in Iraq expresses surprise as it welcomes the findings of Gen David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker and what it sees as a realistic assessment of the security situation.

Front page headlines note the government's positive reaction, contrasting with criticism of its findings by some Iraqi MPs.

Commentators elsewhere in the region react with scepticism, calling the findings an unrealistic assessment of security in Iraq, and questioning the independence of Gen Petraeus and Mr Crocker.

HEADLINES IN IRAQ'S AL-ADALAH

Iraqi government welcomes Petraeus-Crocker findings, underlines commitment to national programme.

Baghdad welcomes gradual US withdrawal, warns of surprise pullout.

MPs: Crocker-Petraeus testimonies show clear support for Iraqi government.

HEADLINE IN IRAQ'S AL-DUSTUR

Government relieved over results of Crocker-Petraeus testimony, gradual US withdrawal from Iraq.

HEADLINE IN IRAQ'S AL-MADA

Government welcomes Petraeus findings; MPs' views differ over assessment.

War-of-words: Petraeus on the defensive, Crocker on the offensive.

HEADLINE IN IRAQ'S AL-MU'TAMAR

Petraeus leaves many big questions unanswered; Crocker focuses on government failure.

HEADLINES IN BAGHDAD EDITION OF AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT

General, Ambassador: Military successes, glimmer of hope amid political failure.

Petraeus, Crocker: Major obstacle is national reconciliation; what is happening in al-Anbar gives us hope.

Iraqi government welcomes assessment; MPs consider it biased, tragic.

HEADLINE IN BAGHDAD EDITION OF AL-ZAMAN

Crocker: Iraq in civil war invites interference; Iran to emerge winner

HEADLINE IN PAN-ARAB AL HAYAT

Petraeus confirms difficulty of maintaining surge.

HEADLINE IN PAN-ARAB AL-ARAB AL-ALAMIYAH

Petraeus: Incriminating America to save Bush.

EDITORIAL IN IRAQ'S AL-ADALAH

Although some comment... have lacked clear vision of the situation in Iraq and depended on reports submitted by commercial companies, the report has been welcomed by the Iraqi government and political quarters as it draws much closer to their view of the security situation.

EDITORIAL IN IRAQ'S AL-DUSTUR

It was an objective report that painted a true picture of the situation on the ground, while proposing realistic solutions not based on whims and wishful thinking.

EDITORIALS IN IRAN'S AL-VEFAGH

There are no surprises in the testimonies and reports of Petraeus and Crocker. They were in line with the government as much as possible, which raises doubts about their independence and neutrality.

[Petraeus and Crocker offered] nothing new but fabrication of misleading statements and justification of US failures, which Bush took the initiative to promote.

EDITORIAL IN JORDAN'S AL-ARAB AL-YAWM

The report, in short, represents an unrealistic vision that does not befit the reality of the deteriorating conditions in Iraq. It contains much of [ex-US Defence Secretary Donald] Rumsfeld's extremist spirit, his ways of portraying defeats as victories and talking about Iraq's conditions under the comfort of occupation as if they were living in the state of Florida or California. The most dangerous thing... is that it sets the ground for long-term military occupation in Iraq.

EDITORIAL IN JORDAN'S AL-DUSTUR

Gen David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker had to provide something to rescue their president from his impasse in the light of the Democrats' attack against him and they did so. Their testimonies offered a large portion of optimism for the future.

EDITORIAL IN LEBANON'S AL-SAFIR

The US Congress sessions will not result in a major change in the US agenda in Iraq, because the human cost is still low while the economic gains, which were not mentioned in Petraeus-Crocker report, and will not be mentioned in any similar public report, are on a steady rise. The US's internal discussion is an unmatched trick in history.

IRANIAN AL-ALAM ARABIC-LANGUAGE TV

The Petraeus-Crocker assessment of the situation in Iraq is a kind of invitation to the Democrats to ease their pressure on Bush's Administration... It did not live up to the expectations of many Americans who want their sons to return from the hell of Iraq as soon as possible.

DUBAI'S AL-ARABIYA TV

The testimonies were the most important since the Vietnam War... The Republicans praised the general's testimony, while the Democrats tightened their grip on him, questioning the success of the surge and the commitment of al-Maliki government to national reconciliation.

QATARI AL-JAZEERA TV

President Bush hoped the testimonies would ease the Democrats' pressure in calling for the withdrawal of US forces... but the Democrats are powerless because they do not have enough votes inside the cupola of Congress to impose their demands on the president.

IRANIAN TV COMMENTARY

We know that after the Petraeus and Cocker reports Bush is scheduled to deliver an address and present his re-engineered Iraq policy to Congress. In light of the present atmosphere, the Petraeus and Cocker reports must address the concerns of Bush's opponents sufficiently, be they Republicans or Democrats..., and convince them to come onboard and show their support for Mr Bush.

IRAN'S E'TEMAD-E MELLI

The American general in his report to Bush is actually trying to justify the military presence of America in Iraq instead of analysing the current situation in the country. It was America's last resort in order to reduce the pressure of public opinion. The inefficiency of the occupiers in doing their jobs and securing the country on the one hand, and the split among America's allies who are escaping from Iraq's mire one after another on the other, has made Washington think about a way out of the disaster instead of finding a way to solve the problem. The main objective of the report is to give time for American Republicans to catch their breath.

IRAN'S JAM-E JAM

If America sets itself up in Iraq and Afghanistan, it will put huge pressure on China and Russia to make them follow US policies more than before. Iran would then experience more difficult days.

IRAN'S AFTAB-E YAZD

Iran agreed to enter talks with America in order to help solve the problems in Iraq a couple of months ago. These talks have been useful for Iraq and more advantageous for America, but the White House statesmen have never dropped their hostile policies against Iran. They have put great pressure on the International Atomic Energy Agency to make problems for the country, and warned Iran's trade partners not to deal with Iran.

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