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| Iraq |
| Iraq needs a lot of support to get out of bottleneck, Allawi sez |
| 2010-06-19 |
| BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said in an interview with CNN that Iraq needs a lot of support to get out of its bottleneck, adding Iraq is powerless to respond to foreign military strikes, such as those by Turkey and Iran, because Iraq has no army, no air force, and no clear foreign policy. Allawi said there is a political vacuum in Iraq and that it is important to expedite the formation of a new government. But, he said, “I think we are still far away from this.' The Turkish military said this week it sent three commando divisions and a special forces brigade two or three kilometers into Iraqi territory in pursuit of Kurdish rebels. The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Thursday that troops have now completely withdrawn. Neighboring Iran has staged a series of military strikes against Iraq's Kurds, targeting rebels it says are attacking Iran. When asked about Iran's recent bombings of the town of Ali Rash, near the Iran-Iraq border, Allawi suggested holding negotiations with Tehran “to try to find a solution to the problem.' While clashes continue in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region in the north, lawmakers are battling for power farther south, in Baghdad. Allawi's Iraqiya political bloc won 91 seats in the March 7 elections, two seats more than the State of Law coalition led by current Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. There has been political deadlock ever since, with both blocs claiming the right to form the new government. When asked why he did not step aside to break the political stalemate, Allawi responded: “The issue is much more complex than this. It is very unfortunate that people are trying to simplify things.' Meanwhile, the U.S. combat mission in Iraq is scheduled to end Aug. 31. Allawi told CNN that the departure of American troops would cause a further deterioration of security in Iraq. Allawi said that Iraq “needs a lot of support to get out of this bottleneck and to secure its borders, to secure its stability, and to form a government.' |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 Meanwhile, the U.S. combat mission in Iraq is scheduled to end Aug. 31. Allawi told CNN that the departure of American troops would cause a further deterioration of security in Iraq. The Left may yet achieve the failure they so dearly want in Iraq. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2010-06-19 21:21 |