ROME Iraq's prime minister is blaming the security crisis in his country on the Americans.
Nouri al-Maliki (NOO'-ree ahl-MAHL'-ih-kee) says Iraqi forces would have had better control over their country if the U-S had equipped them with better weapons and more of them. In an interview published today in Italy, the Iraqi chief stops short of criticizing President Bush's plan to send in more than 21-thousand additional troops. But he says things would be a lot better if the U-S had properly supplied his forces from the start. He says there would have been a lot fewer Iraqi and U-S deaths.
But al-Maliki also holds out hope that the situation in Iraq "will drastically improve" because of the U-S buildup, clearing the way for American troops to start leaving "in three to six months."
what horsefeathers! Such turbulent air!
Iraq wants the weapons, has sided with Iran, give them weapons and they'll kill americans. Let their oil revenue buy the infrastructure, social goods, utilities, policing and weapons. Why should it all be at the expense of Uncle Sam?
Prime Minister Maliki: Kgetting guns from the US and then using them to kill off your political enemies, the Sunni's, and to pay off old debts in order to achieve 'peace' is not democracy. This would be called 'Saddam Hussein' Part II. As a world leader, you are required to act like a humanatarian who believes in basic human rights etc etc.
I'm sure President Bush would gladly give you guys weapons if he thought you were an honorable world leader. The politcal benefit alone would be well worth it.
Instead of being a grateful man, leading a grateful nation, you choose to put a stick in the eye of the principles of freedom and humaity. You're leadership will expose the entire Arab world to ridicule as it will prove inself completely incapable of reasoned non-violent politcal dialogue.
The next time the US comes back (2-5 yrs from now because of some out of control whack-job), it will likely be with much more anger and resolve. For that time it will not be in the name of humanity. It will be in the name of victory. And, this victory will be very painful to the entire middle east....