PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A new CIA (news - web sites) report on Iraq (news - web sites) warns of growing popular support for insurgents combating U.S. occupation forces and says efforts to rebuild the country could collapse without immediate corrective action, the Philadelphia Inquirer said on Wednesday.
The newspaper, quoting unnamed administration officials, also said in an article that the classified document's bleak view of the situation in Iraq has been privately endorsed by Iraq's U.S. governor, Paul Bremer.
The CIA analysis, which was issued to senior U.S. officials on Monday, suggests that the escalation of the U.S. military campaign against guerrillas could cause new civilian casualties and drive more Iraqis to the side of the insurgents, the newspaper said.
Meanwhile, the inability of U.S. forces to crush the insurgents is convincing growing numbers of Iraqis that the occupation can be defeated, the newspaper said.
The report warns that none of the postwar Iraqi political institutions and leaders have shown an ability to govern the country or even preside over drafting a constitution or holding an election, the Inquirer said.
It also raises concerns that majority Shi'ite Muslims could join Sunnis in an insurgency against the U.S. occupation, citing intensifying U.S.-Shi'ite friction fueled by this week's U.S. killing of the mayor of the Shi'ite enclave of Sadr City, according to the newspaper.
The Inquirer said administration officials did not detail any recommendations contained in the report.