Lieutenant General Ray Odierno, MNF-I #2 commander, reported that Iraq violence is at its lowest level since the February 2006 al-Askaria mosque bombing by al-Qaeda that touched off the wave of sectarian violence al-Qaeda desired. Lt. Gen. Odierno pointed to Baghdad specifically, where attacks have “dropped about 50 percent since January, and the number of civilian casualties also has fallen.”

After Commanding General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ray Crocker warned of “devastating consequences” if Britain withdraws from Iraq, General Petraeus met with British leaders in London. While the general did not disclose detail of disagreements between the US and the British leadership, General Petraeus said “what we did discuss was the tasks” at hand in southern Iraq. Britain has withdrawn from violent downtown Basra and garrisoned at an airbase outside the city.