PM lashes out at US

DAMASCUS – Iraq’s prime minister lashed out at American criticism yesterday, saying no one has the right to impose timetables on his elected government and that his country ‘can find friends elsewhere’.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki blamed the US presidential campaign for the recent tough words about his government, from US President George W Bush and from other American politicians. Bush on Tuesday said he was frustrated with Iraqi leaders’ inability to bridge political divisions.But, Bush added that only the Iraqi people can decide whether to sideline the troubled prime minister.”Clearly, the Iraqi government’s got to do more,” Bush said.”I think there’s a certain level of frustration with the leadership in general, inability to work – come together to get, for example, an oil revenue law passed or provincial elections.”Al-Maliki, on a trip to Syria, reacted harshly when asked about the recent comments from US officials.”No one has the right to place timetables on the Iraq government.It was elected by its people,” he said at a press conference in Damascus at the end of the three-day visit to Syria.”Those who make such statements are bothered by our visit to Syria.We will pay no attention.We care for our people and our constitution and can find friends elsewhere,” al-Maliki said.Without naming any American official, al-Maliki said some of the criticism of him and his government had been ‘discourteous’.US Senator Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat, said on Monday that al-Maliki, who is a Shi’ite, should be ousted and replaced with a less sectarian leader.And the US Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, said on Tuesday that he was disappointed and frustrated by the lack of political progress by al-Maliki’s government.Crocker said the Iraqis themselves and Iraqi leaders were also frustrated.The harsh exchanges erupted just a few weeks before Crocker and the US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, are to report to Congress on military and political progress in Iraq.The two are expected to point to some signs of military progress in Iraq.But the political situation in Iraq remains fractured, with wide distrust between Shiite and Sunni factions and no progress by al-Maliki’s government on key issues.Bush’s statement on Tuesday was a marked change in tone from his endorsement of al-Maliki last November at a meeting in Jordan as ‘the right guy for Iraq’.In recent months, the president has continually prodded al-Maliki to do more to forge political reconciliation before the temporary US military buildup ends.But his statements Tuesday were the sharpest he has made about whether the Iraqi prime minister will survive.Nampa-APBush on Tuesday said he was frustrated with Iraqi leaders’ inability to bridge political divisions.But, Bush added that only the Iraqi people can decide whether to sideline the troubled prime minister.”Clearly, the Iraqi government’s got to do more,” Bush said.”I think there’s a certain level of frustration with the leadership in general, inability to work – come together to get, for example, an oil revenue law passed or provincial elections.”Al-Maliki, on a trip to Syria, reacted harshly when asked about the recent comments from US officials.”No one has the right to place timetables on the Iraq government.It was elected by its people,” he said at a press conference in Damascus at the end of the three-day visit to Syria.”Those who make such statements are bothered by our visit to Syria.We will pay no attention.We care for our people and our constitution and can find friends elsewhere,” al-Maliki said.Without naming any American official, al-Maliki said some of the criticism of him and his government had been ‘discourteous’.US Senator Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat, said on Monday that al-Maliki, who is a Shi’ite, should be ousted and replaced with a less sectarian leader.And the US Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, said on Tuesday that he was disappointed and frustrated by the lack of political progress by al-Maliki’s government.Crocker said the Iraqis themselves and Iraqi leaders were also frustrated.The harsh exchanges erupted just a few weeks before Crocker and the US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, are to report to Congress on military and political progress in Iraq.The two are expected to point to some signs of military progress in Iraq.But the political situation in Iraq remains fractured, with wide distrust between Shiite and Sunni factions and no progress by al-Maliki’s government on key issues.Bush’s statement on Tuesday was a marked change in tone from his endorsement of al-Maliki last November at a meeting in Jordan as ‘the right guy for Iraq’.In recent months, the president has continually prodded al-Maliki to do more to forge political reconciliation before the temporary US military buildup ends.But his statements Tuesday were the sharpest he has made about whether the Iraqi prime minister will survive.Nampa-AP