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Clay
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Rice visits Iraq in show of support for government assaults By ANNE
GEARAN, AP Diplomatic Writer
1 minute ago
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice praised the Iraqi government
Sunday for government-led assaults on radical militias, as the top
U.S. diplomat made a surprise visit to Baghdad in a show of support
for the country's leaders.
Rice's brief heavily guarded stop was not announced in advance, in
keeping with security precautions adopted by all top U.S. officials
who remain targets of the anti-American insurgents five years after
the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and the fall of Saddam Hussein.
Rice met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, his Kurdish
president and other top officials. She was also honoring Americans
killed in the Green Zone, the heavily protected compound that houses
the U.S. embassy and much of the Iraqi central government.
During his meeting with Rice, al-Maliki said the assaults in Basra
represent a strong blow to all lawbreakers, showing the determination
to confront the militias, according to a press release by the prime
minister's office.
President Jalal Talibani told Rice, "We are living in the Iraqi
political spring."
Rice said it is "indeed a moment of opportunity, thanks to the
courageous decision taken by the prime minister and a unified Iraqi
leadership."
Rice told reporters she sees signs that al-Maliki's assaults on
militia forces last month have brought sectarian and ethnic groups
together in an unprecedented way. She said she wants to capitalize on
that cohesion.
Rice traveled to Iraq, she said, to promote new Sunni and Kurd support
for the U.S. backed Shiite government.
Rice had a brief exchange with al-Maliki in which they both noted
improvements in security. They then went into a private meeting along
with the top U.S. ground commander, Gen. David Petraeus, and U.S.
Ambassador Ryan Crocker.
U.S. officials usually travel from the airport by helicopter because
it's safer, but on Sunday Rice went to the Green Zone by motorcade
because of a sand and dust storm.
En route to Iraq, Rice told reporters traveling with her that she is
not trying to make a point about security gains in Iraq by visiting
now.
"I think everybody knows it is still a dangerous place," she said
aboard her plane.
Her main goal is to spotlight what she calls encouraging political
signs following the Basra crackdown. Sunni and Kurdish politicians
have offered public support to al-Maliki following the operation, and
the Bush administration argues he could emerge stronger from what had
appeared to be a military blunder.
"This is, I think, an important time," Rice said. "You've seen a
coalescing of a center in Iraqi politics," and she wants to promote
it, Rice said.
The head of the Kurdish self-ruled region, Massoud Barzani, has
offered Kurdish troops to help fight anti-American cleric Muqtada al-
Sadr's Mahdi Army militia.
More significantly, Sunni Arab Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi signed
off on a statement by President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, and the Shiite
vice president, Adil Abdul-Mahdi, expressing support for the crackdown
in the oil-rich southern city of Basra.
Al-Hashemi is one of al-Maliki's most bitter critics and the two have
been locked in an acrimonious public quarrel for a year. Al-Hashemi
has accused the prime minister of sectarian favoritism and al-Maliki
has complained that the Sunni vice president is blocking key
legislation.
Sunnis are looking for concessions from al-Maliki, whom they accuse of
monopolizing power. Some leaders among both Sunnis and Shiites suspect
al-Maliki's real aim in launching the Basra operation was to weaken
Shiite opponents ahead of provincial elections this fall.
"There are those who questioned whether or not the prime minister was
prepared to go after militias that were associated one way or another
with political elements in his coalition ... and there have been
questions from the Arab states," Rice said. "I think he's answering
that question."
During five days of heavy fighting last month, Iraqi troops struggled
against militiamen, particularly the Mahdi Army loyal to anti-U.S.
cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The ill-prepared Iraqi military was plagued by
desertions and poor organization and U.S. troops had to take over in
some instances. The offensive was inconclusive, with Iran helping
mediate a truce.
Still, the crackdown appears to have succeeded in giving some sense of
central government control in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city and
the emergence of a common cause could help bridge Iraq's political
rifts. The Bush administration also points to the upcoming election
and passage of some long-stalled legislation as signs of emerging
political cohesion.
"This is a complicated process, but it is a process that has begun in
Iraq," Rice said. "It's not been the smoothest of processes, but it is
an important step that the Iraqi government has taken."
Al-Sadr gave what he called a "final warning" to the al-Maliki
government Saturday to halt a U.S.-Iraqi crackdown against his
followers or he would declare "open war until liberation."
A full-blown uprising by al-Sadr, who led two rebellions against U.S.-
led forces in 2004, could lead to a dramatic increase in violence in
Iraq at a time when the Sunni extremist group al-Qaida in Iraq appears
poised for new attacks after suffering severe blows last year.
Rice told reporters it has been difficult to determine al-Sadr's
motives, adding that the fate of his political movement would be a
matter for the Iraqis to decide.
The U.S. would not object, she said, if his political forces take part
in upcoming elections this fall, so long as they do so responsibly.
Rice left Washington on Saturday for the region. She will also meet
Persian Gulf diplomats in Bahrain, and a wider group of Arab states
and others in Kuwait. The Kuwait meeting is the third such regional
gathering centered on ways that neighbor states can help Iraq secure
its borders, improve internal stability and deal with the tide of
refugees that fled sectarian violence and economic decline in Iraq.
She said Iraq's Arab neighbors have few remaining excuses for
withholding diplomatic and economic support for the U.S.-backed
government in Baghdad, now that daily life in Iraq is less deadly and
the government has demonstrated resolve against militias.
------------
-C-
GEARAN, AP Diplomatic Writer
1 minute ago
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice praised the Iraqi government
Sunday for government-led assaults on radical militias, as the top
U.S. diplomat made a surprise visit to Baghdad in a show of support
for the country's leaders.
Rice's brief heavily guarded stop was not announced in advance, in
keeping with security precautions adopted by all top U.S. officials
who remain targets of the anti-American insurgents five years after
the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and the fall of Saddam Hussein.
Rice met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, his Kurdish
president and other top officials. She was also honoring Americans
killed in the Green Zone, the heavily protected compound that houses
the U.S. embassy and much of the Iraqi central government.
During his meeting with Rice, al-Maliki said the assaults in Basra
represent a strong blow to all lawbreakers, showing the determination
to confront the militias, according to a press release by the prime
minister's office.
President Jalal Talibani told Rice, "We are living in the Iraqi
political spring."
Rice said it is "indeed a moment of opportunity, thanks to the
courageous decision taken by the prime minister and a unified Iraqi
leadership."
Rice told reporters she sees signs that al-Maliki's assaults on
militia forces last month have brought sectarian and ethnic groups
together in an unprecedented way. She said she wants to capitalize on
that cohesion.
Rice traveled to Iraq, she said, to promote new Sunni and Kurd support
for the U.S. backed Shiite government.
Rice had a brief exchange with al-Maliki in which they both noted
improvements in security. They then went into a private meeting along
with the top U.S. ground commander, Gen. David Petraeus, and U.S.
Ambassador Ryan Crocker.
U.S. officials usually travel from the airport by helicopter because
it's safer, but on Sunday Rice went to the Green Zone by motorcade
because of a sand and dust storm.
En route to Iraq, Rice told reporters traveling with her that she is
not trying to make a point about security gains in Iraq by visiting
now.
"I think everybody knows it is still a dangerous place," she said
aboard her plane.
Her main goal is to spotlight what she calls encouraging political
signs following the Basra crackdown. Sunni and Kurdish politicians
have offered public support to al-Maliki following the operation, and
the Bush administration argues he could emerge stronger from what had
appeared to be a military blunder.
"This is, I think, an important time," Rice said. "You've seen a
coalescing of a center in Iraqi politics," and she wants to promote
it, Rice said.
The head of the Kurdish self-ruled region, Massoud Barzani, has
offered Kurdish troops to help fight anti-American cleric Muqtada al-
Sadr's Mahdi Army militia.
More significantly, Sunni Arab Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi signed
off on a statement by President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, and the Shiite
vice president, Adil Abdul-Mahdi, expressing support for the crackdown
in the oil-rich southern city of Basra.
Al-Hashemi is one of al-Maliki's most bitter critics and the two have
been locked in an acrimonious public quarrel for a year. Al-Hashemi
has accused the prime minister of sectarian favoritism and al-Maliki
has complained that the Sunni vice president is blocking key
legislation.
Sunnis are looking for concessions from al-Maliki, whom they accuse of
monopolizing power. Some leaders among both Sunnis and Shiites suspect
al-Maliki's real aim in launching the Basra operation was to weaken
Shiite opponents ahead of provincial elections this fall.
"There are those who questioned whether or not the prime minister was
prepared to go after militias that were associated one way or another
with political elements in his coalition ... and there have been
questions from the Arab states," Rice said. "I think he's answering
that question."
During five days of heavy fighting last month, Iraqi troops struggled
against militiamen, particularly the Mahdi Army loyal to anti-U.S.
cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The ill-prepared Iraqi military was plagued by
desertions and poor organization and U.S. troops had to take over in
some instances. The offensive was inconclusive, with Iran helping
mediate a truce.
Still, the crackdown appears to have succeeded in giving some sense of
central government control in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city and
the emergence of a common cause could help bridge Iraq's political
rifts. The Bush administration also points to the upcoming election
and passage of some long-stalled legislation as signs of emerging
political cohesion.
"This is a complicated process, but it is a process that has begun in
Iraq," Rice said. "It's not been the smoothest of processes, but it is
an important step that the Iraqi government has taken."
Al-Sadr gave what he called a "final warning" to the al-Maliki
government Saturday to halt a U.S.-Iraqi crackdown against his
followers or he would declare "open war until liberation."
A full-blown uprising by al-Sadr, who led two rebellions against U.S.-
led forces in 2004, could lead to a dramatic increase in violence in
Iraq at a time when the Sunni extremist group al-Qaida in Iraq appears
poised for new attacks after suffering severe blows last year.
Rice told reporters it has been difficult to determine al-Sadr's
motives, adding that the fate of his political movement would be a
matter for the Iraqis to decide.
The U.S. would not object, she said, if his political forces take part
in upcoming elections this fall, so long as they do so responsibly.
Rice left Washington on Saturday for the region. She will also meet
Persian Gulf diplomats in Bahrain, and a wider group of Arab states
and others in Kuwait. The Kuwait meeting is the third such regional
gathering centered on ways that neighbor states can help Iraq secure
its borders, improve internal stability and deal with the tide of
refugees that fled sectarian violence and economic decline in Iraq.
She said Iraq's Arab neighbors have few remaining excuses for
withholding diplomatic and economic support for the U.S.-backed
government in Baghdad, now that daily life in Iraq is less deadly and
the government has demonstrated resolve against militias.
------------
-C-
