Iraq’s prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, attacked Democrat Senators Hillary Clinton (NY) and Carl Levin (MI) for crticizing his government.
Faced with walkouts by members of his government and increasing criticism from U.S. officials, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told U.S. senators Sunday to butt out of his country’s domestic politics.
“There are American officials who consider Iraq as if it were one of their villages, for example Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin,” al-Maliki told reporters in Baghdad. “This is severe interference in our domestic affairs.”
It pains me to defend Democrats when it regards Iraq. But, no sir, Mr. al-Maliki – we will not butt of of Iraq’s domestic politics. America has a vested interest in seeing Iraq succeed. Our soldiers are there to ensure the stability of your nation. And everything you do or don’t do affects our ability to bring these men and women back home as soon as possible. If that means that your government must go – so be it.
al-Maliki has been a failure when it comes to implementing reforms necessary for the political stabilization of Iraq.
Government leaders said Sunday they had reached agreement on some of those measures. But the top Sunni Arab in the Iraqi leadership, Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, played down the reports of progress, and his office called the agreements “not so significant.”
The benchmarks Congress has set to to judge the Iraqi government’s progress include passage of legislation allocating Iraq’s oil revenues, easing restrictions on former members of executed dictator Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party and setting up provincial elections.
Those benchmarks are fair and should be met. al-Maliki, however, has done little to meet those goals. Consequently, the political situation in Iraq is still tenuous. That means that the US presence in Iraq must be maintained in order to combat the instability caused by al-Maliki’s failures as a leader.
President Bush has repeatedly covered for al-Maliki. I guess I can understand why he might be inclined to do that. But the fact is that the current government has failed to produce. They have had sufficient time to at least make some hint of progress, but that has not occured. One might easily blame the opposition groups and ethnic tensions, but that is not an excuse. al-Maliki’s challenge is to unite the factions. If he cannot do that, then it is time to turn the reigns over to someone new.
We can meddle in Iraq’s domestic affairs as much as we like until the day that they keep up their end of the bargain and allow us to leave a stable, secure nation.
steveflesher
Philip
Mel Maguire
Mark Ciavola
Comments
Has anyone told him to be thankful he wasn’t in the American Government? I mean, then he’d be having people butt in and complain about him constantly!
Without even making an effort to be nice!
Maybe someone should remind of Harry Truman’s remark. “If you can’t take the heat of the kitchen, get out.”
Hey, it’s no fun being in the spot he’s in. If it isn’t working, then haul ass. We’re not all that happy with his results, but that’s his stuff.
But, when Snake Oil Harry Reid and Petunia Pelosi; not to mention Thunder Thighs Clinton, Barabomber and those remaining Fossiled Fools snipe from their focus groups, I’d give the digital salute too.
While I don’t think that I would have said the things that Al-Maliki said, I do have to agree with President Bush that the progress on the political front will be handled by the democratically-elected politicians in Iraq and not the one’s in Washington, DC (the Dems spoke about Al-Maliki being replaced).
Just remember, the Dems were the ones that initially thought there would be no elected government in Iraq.
And furthermore, they are the same Dems who said there would be no elections in Iraq.
Hmmm, I think I remember seeing purple index fingers in December 2005.
I agree with Al-Maliki!
The Dems are doing nothing to further progress, they are just continuing their attacks.
I guess maybe I’m in a minority on this one among conservatives. I don’t agree with all the Dem attacks on al-Maliki. And further, I believe most of it just partisan grandstanding rather than constructive criticism.
But al-Maliki and his government were given legitimate benchmarks that needed to be met on the political front. Little has been done to meet these marks. Instead, the government runs off for a month while the nation is in the midst of a military surge – a very critical time.
I just think more needs to be done by al-Maliki, and I don’t feel that he should be immune from criticism from politicians here as we continue to prop up his government. And when our officials do criticize his government, he better learn to take the hits or take action to change his circumstances. Just my opinion.
Philip, welcome to the MINORITY.
Remember, though, we are RIGHT.
LOL!!!