Monday, July 16, 2007
Al-Maliki says US troops "can leave any time they want"
Security, Politics
(Al Jazeera) - Iraq's prime minister has cast off US doubts over his government's military and political progress, saying Iraqi forces are capable and US troops can leave "any time they want". Nuri al-Maliki's comments came on Saturday, after one of his aids accused US forces of committing human rights violations and arming "gangs of killers".
At a time when pressure is mounting in the US for George Bush, the US president, to withdraw American troops from Iraq, al-Maliki has said his administration needs "time and effort" to enact the political reforms called for by Washington. "Particularly since the political process is facing security, economic and services pressures, as well as regional and international interference," said al-Maliki.
At a time when pressure is mounting in the US for George Bush, the US president, to withdraw American troops from Iraq, al-Maliki has said his administration needs "time and effort" to enact the political reforms called for by Washington. "Particularly since the political process is facing security, economic and services pressures, as well as regional and international interference," said al-Maliki.
But he said if necessary, Iraqi police and soldiers could fill the void left by the departure of coalition forces. "We say in full confidence that we are able, God willing, to take the responsibility completely in running the security file if the international forces withdraw at any time they want," he said.
Meanwhile, Hassan al-Suneid, a member of parliament, told The Associated Press on Saturday that al-Maliki has problems with General David Petraeus, the chief US commander in Iraq. He said US troops have embarrassed the Iraqi government and that General Petraeus was working along a "purely American vision". Al-Suneid said the US military strategy is to "arm whoever is against al-Qaeda at a time when there are gangs against al-Qaeda that kill. These are gangs of killers." He was referring to US overtures to groups in Anbar and Diyala, encouraging former anti-government fighters to join the fight against al-Qaeda in Iraq.
The US military insists it is not arming groups to fight al-Qaeda in Iraq. Instead, officials say they are re-directing them away from attacks on US troops to confront al-Qaeda in Iraq. "We cannot imagine that a neighbourhood is bombed with an excuse that 'we are searching for a terrorist'". Al-Suneid warned that these armed groups will retain their weapons in the future because of the US overtures.
He also said US authorities have embarrassed the al-Maliki government through acts such as constructing walls in Baghdad and repeated raids on Sadr City. Al-Suneid said: "Al-Maliki finds difficulty in understanding [Petraeus] because he moves with a purely American vision, and reality needs a co-ordinated mutual vision."
Al-Maliki's adviser denounced the heavy use of arms by US troops against suspected fighters as human rights violations. He said US forces use methods that produce results fast, including "building walls, random killings, detentions in ways that are far from human rights and this embarrasses the government in front of its people".
"We cannot imagine that a neighbourhood is bombed with an excuse that 'we are searching for a terrorist,"' he said.
Meanwhile, Hassan al-Suneid, a member of parliament, told The Associated Press on Saturday that al-Maliki has problems with General David Petraeus, the chief US commander in Iraq. He said US troops have embarrassed the Iraqi government and that General Petraeus was working along a "purely American vision". Al-Suneid said the US military strategy is to "arm whoever is against al-Qaeda at a time when there are gangs against al-Qaeda that kill. These are gangs of killers." He was referring to US overtures to groups in Anbar and Diyala, encouraging former anti-government fighters to join the fight against al-Qaeda in Iraq.
The US military insists it is not arming groups to fight al-Qaeda in Iraq. Instead, officials say they are re-directing them away from attacks on US troops to confront al-Qaeda in Iraq. "We cannot imagine that a neighbourhood is bombed with an excuse that 'we are searching for a terrorist'". Al-Suneid warned that these armed groups will retain their weapons in the future because of the US overtures.
He also said US authorities have embarrassed the al-Maliki government through acts such as constructing walls in Baghdad and repeated raids on Sadr City. Al-Suneid said: "Al-Maliki finds difficulty in understanding [Petraeus] because he moves with a purely American vision, and reality needs a co-ordinated mutual vision."
Al-Maliki's adviser denounced the heavy use of arms by US troops against suspected fighters as human rights violations. He said US forces use methods that produce results fast, including "building walls, random killings, detentions in ways that are far from human rights and this embarrasses the government in front of its people".
"We cannot imagine that a neighbourhood is bombed with an excuse that 'we are searching for a terrorist,"' he said.
COMMENT: The Iraqi security forces are ill trained, ill equipped and ill prepared to deal with the situation that is Iraq today, and they have been infiltrated with rival militias and lack unity and loyalty to one government. Elements of the government agreed to holding talks with insurgent and resistance groups and bringing them to the political table, this was not purely an American initiative. It appears that Al Sadr still has a strong grip on Maliki if this is his reaction to raids in Sadr City which doesn't bode well for the disarmament of militias such as the Mahdi Army. COMMENT ENDS.
Labels: Al Qaeda, General David Petraeus, Hassan al-Suneid, Nouri Al-Maliki, Sadr City, U.S. troop withdrawal
