Iraq breaks with U.S. and assails Israeli raids

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July 20, 2006

By Edward Wong and Michael Slackman The New York Times

BAGHDAD -- Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki of Iraq has forcefully denounced the Israeli attacks on Lebanon, marking a sharp break with President George W. Bush's position and highlighting the growing power of a Shiite Muslim identity across the Middle East.

"The Israeli attacks and airstrikes are completely destroying Lebanon's infrastructure," Maliki said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon inside the fortified Green Zone, which houses the U.S. Embassy and the seat of the Iraqi government.

"I condemn these aggressions and call on the Arab League foreign ministers' meeting in Cairo to take quick action to stop these aggressions. We call on the world to take quick stands to stop the Israeli aggression."

The U.S. Embassy did not answer a reporter's request for a response.

The comments by Maliki, a Shiite Arab whose party has close ties to Iran, were noticeably stronger than those made by Sunni Arab governments in recent days.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/07/20/news/shiite.php


Is Iraq's Maliki a hypocrite criticizing Israel for their bloody assaults?

Malaki came to power as a result of our own country's bloody invasion of sovereign Iraq. Tens of thousands of innocent civilians were killed in Iraq, deliberately or defensively by our invading and occupying forces.

But, I completely agree with Malaki's concerns, and appreciate his speaking out on the issue of Israel's collateral reprisals. In fact, although he's a beneficiary of US militarism (a reprehensible position for an exile like Maliki), he has also spoken out against the numbers of innocent Iraqis who have become casualties of the war and occupation.

On the other hand, Malaki reputedly has ties with Hezbollah.

so, anyway . . .

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1. Reporter asks WH if administration believes Iraqi PM has Hezbollah ties

RAW STORY
Thursday July 20, 2006
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Reporter_asks_White_House_spokesman_if_0720.html

The morning after Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki denounced Israel for its attacks on Lebanon, White House spokesman Tony Snow was asked if the Bush Administration believes that he may have ties to Hezbollah, RAW STORY has found.

"Is the administration at all concerned that the prime minister either has any ties with Hezbollah himself or his party has ties with Hezbollah," a reporter asked Snow at Thursday's press briefing.

"No, I doubt it," Snow responded. "I'm not aware of that. But no, I don't think so."



Excerpts from press conference: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/07/20060720-3.html

Q President Bush is condemning Hezbollah.

MR. SNOW: Yes.

Q Prime Minister Maliki of Iraq is condemning Israel.

MR. SNOW: Yes.

Q Is this a sharp break with the president?

MR. SNOW: No, it's an expression of opinion on the part of the prime minister about his views.

Q Is it troubling to the president?

MR. SNOW: No. The president -- I mean, you've got to understand that Prime Minister Maliki is running a unity government and he is going to express the opinions of that government. The president is conversant with those opinions and he is -- you know, he respects it and he looks forward to talking with the prime minister about it when Prime Minister Maliki comes to Washington next week. You know, it's interesting, because it is a democracy and they are permitted to disagree with us. That happens. And we have a number of allies who have disagreed with us on a lot of other matters.

Q It may be the most significant issue facing the president right now. It's a heck of a thing to be disagreeing about, isn't it?

MR. SNOW: No, because the primary point of emphasis in the relations between the United States and Iraq right now is guaranteeing the security of Baghdad and also making sure that Iraqi democracy works, and works effectively. That's what they spend the bulk of their time working on. And that the prime minister would express a contrary view is hardly new. The president speaks quite often with people and works quite often with people who disagree with him.

Q Last question on this. Is the administration at all concerned that the prime minister either has any ties with Hezbollah himself or his party has ties with Hezbollah?

MR. SNOW: No, I doubt it. I'm not aware of that. But no, I don't think so.

[NNN0LHI]

2. If Maliki has ties with Hezbollah why is he living...

...in our protected Green Zone with the rest of our Iraqi puppets?

If he ever stopped parroting what his American handlers tell him to say he would be gone yesterday.

I think this Malaki stuff is a bunch of malarkey.

Don

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3. where did it come from?

I only heard of it today as an aside in an article

[blonndee]

4. Uh oh, Maliki.

Better watch your back. Don't you know what happens when new "democracies" don't toe the line?