Reuters: Iraqi vice president favors U.S. pullout timetable

[Eugene]

Iraqi vice president favors U.S. pullout timetable
19 Dec 2006 19:17:01 GMT
Source: Reuters

By Irwin Arieff

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Iraq's vice president said on Tuesday he favored
a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from his country but they could not leave
until Iraqi forces are able to handle the situation on their own.

"I am calling for a scheduled withdrawal of American troops," Vice President Tareq
al-Hashemi told reporters after talks with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

But the top priority for Iraq is not a U.S. pullout but ensuring stability and security
and ending the violence that has been tearing up the country, he added, speaking in Arabic.

-snip-

Hashemi also said Baghdad wanted the United Nations to play a greater role in Iraqi
construction, a role the world body has approached gingerly since its Baghdad headquarters
was blown up in an Aug. 19, 2003, truck bombing that killed 22 people including U.N. mission
chief Sergio Vieira de Mello.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N19292469.htm

A related AP report has Hashemi calling for a "flexible" timetable.

Iraqi vice president calls on U.S. to set timetable for withdrawal - AP

[rodeodance]

1. gee, he must have read the ISG Report

[Eugene]

2. Reuters: Bush 'brainwashed' Blair on Iraq pullout - Iraq VP

Bush 'brainwashed' Blair on Iraq pullout - Iraq VP
19 Dec 2006 21:11:10 GMT
Source: Reuters

By Michelle Nichols

NEW YORK, Dec 19 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair was in favor
of announcing a timetable to pull troops out of Iraq, but was "brainwashed"
out of it by President George W. Bush, Iraq's vice president said on Tuesday.

Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi told New York's Council on Foreign Relations
that when he spoke with Blair about three months ago, the British leader was
supportive of his appeal for the United States and Britain to say when they
would withdraw.

"I had just convinced him," Hashemi said. "He promised he was going to discuss
the subject with President Bush, but at the end of the day, it's quite unfortunate,
that your president (made) some sort of brainwashing of Mr. Blair."

But Hashemi also said any withdrawal of troops should be conditional on U.S.
training of Iraq's security forces.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N19299847.htm