US rejects Maliki rift claims
by Laurent Lozano
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States moved to smother new signs of a rift with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, after he complained Washington's failure to better arm his soldiers had cost lives.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meanwhile said she was "sorry" if Maliki was offended by her comment that his government, a vital cog in President George W. Bush's last-ditch bid to pacify Baghdad, was on "borrowed time."
Fresh indications of simmering resentments between the two governments surfaced in a candid interview by Maliki with foreign reporters in Baghdad.
He said the United States could dramatically cut troop numbers in Iraq if it offered sufficient weapons to Iraqi forces, and warned remarks like those of Rice "give moral boosts" to extremists.
The White House however expressed confidence in the Iraqi leader and rejected suggestions his comments in newspapers including the Times of London, the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, were a rebuke to Washington.
"I dispute the characterization that he was very critical of the president," White House spokesman Tony Snow said, highlighting Maliki's announcement that Iraqi forces had captured 400 members of the radical Mahdi Army militia.
"The president is absolutely resolute and steadfast in his support of this government. I don't think that there's any distance when it comes to key issues," Snow said.
Maliki was also reported as saying by several of the newspapers that the insurgency had been longer and more violent than necessary because Washington had refused to sufficiently arm Iraqi forces.
He added that a quicker program to equip Iraq forces could ease the burden on US troops.
"If we succeed in implementing the agreement between us to speed up the equipping and providing weapons to our military forces, I think that within three to six months, our need for American troops will dramatically go down," he said.
The United States has been wary of providing large quantities of weapons because some have ended up in the hands of militias and insurgents. A Maliki aide was quoted as saying Iraqi forces particularly wanted "heavy" weapons.
Snow also disputed the idea that a widening rift between Bush and Maliki had been revealed by the US president's most strident remarks yet on the chaotic execution of Saddam Hussein.
Bush said in an interview Tuesday that the manner of the hanging was reminiscent of a "revenge killing."
"There's just a disagreement between the two of them on that," Snow said.
Maliki also rounded on Rice's warning last week in a congressional hearing that though she believed he was resolute, his government was, "in a sense, on borrowed time."
"I don't think we are on borrowed time," Maliki said.
Rice attempted to smooth over the affair in London, on the latest leg of her tour of Middle Eastern and European capitals.
"I am sorry if he took offense. I did not mean any offense," she said, putting the episode down to translation problems.
"What was intended to be said there is, look there is a sense of urgency there and he understands the urgency," Rice said.
Snow earlier appeared to distance the White House from Rice's comment, telling reporters, "you certainly haven't heard statements like that from this podium, nor have you heard them from the president."
Signs of US government impatience with the Iraqi premier have mounted for months, culminating in an explosive memo by national security adviser Stephen Hadley leaked just before Bush and Maliki met in Jordan in November.
"The reality on the streets of Baghdad suggests Maliki is either ignorant of what is going on, misrepresenting his intentions or that his capabilities are not yet sufficient to turn his good intentions into action," part of the memo, published in The New York Times, said.
Maliki waited three days before responding to Bush's high-profile announcement of a new plan for Iraq last week with somewhat lukewarm comments.
Bush aides, however, said Maliki had already publicly endorsed much of Bush's new approach, in a speech made days before the US plan was unveiled.
US rejects Maliki rift claims
MALIKI FRIES RICE
LASHES OUT AT CONDI COMMENTS
By ANDY SOLTIS
SCHISM:Condoleezza Rice has been accused of misstating...
January 18, 2007 -- Iraq's prime minister charged yesterday that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is undergoing a "crisis" and misstating Washington's attitude toward his regime.
Nouri al-Maliki told The Times of London that Rice was wrong when she told a congressional hearing last week that his government is, "in a sense, on borrowed time."
"Certain officials are going through a crisis," Maliki retorted.
"Secretary Rice is expressing her own point of view if she thinks that the government is on borrowed time, whether it is borrowed time for the Iraqi government or the American administration.
"I don't think we are on borrowed time." Maliki also said the United States can "dramatically" reduce its troop size in Iraq if it provides his army with the necessary weapons.
The failure to supply sufficient guns and equipment has cost a large numbers of lives, he said.
"If we succeed in implementing the agreement between us to speed up the equipping and providing weapons to our military forces, I think that within three to six months, our need for American troops will drastically go down," he said.
White House national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe acknowledged that some of Maliki's points were "valid" and that the equipping of his security forces would be sped up.
Also yesterday Maliki met with foreign diplomats, including the U.S. ambassador, to strengthen support for another planned security operation. He pledged to act equally against all gunmen, regardless of sect.
Maliki told the paper that 400 members of the Mahdi Army of Muqtada al-Sadr had been arrested in recent days. This showed that the PM wasn't being "lenient" with Shiite militias, he said.
Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates have suggested Maliki could lose his job if he doesn't reduce the bloodshed between Sunnis and Shiites. But Maliki implied such criticism only helps fuel terrorism.
"I wish that we could receive strong messages of support from the U.S. so we don't give some boost to the terrorists and make them feel that they might have achieved success," he said.
"I believe that such statements give moral boosts to the terrorists and push them toward making an extra effort and making them believe that they have defeated the American administration.
"But I can tell you that they haven't defeated the Iraqi government."
http://www.nypost.com/seven/01182007/news/worldnews/maliki_fries_rice_worldnews_andy_soltis.htm
said she was "sorry" if Maliki was offended by her comment that his government, a vital cog in President George W. Bush's last-ditch bid to pacify Baghdad, was on "borrowed time."