Posted on 09/23/2007 10:42:09 AM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
NEW YORK - Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Sunday the shooting deaths of civilians — allegedly at the hands of Blackwater USA guards — pose "a serious challenge to the sovereignty of Iraq" and cannot be accepted.
The Sept. 16 killing of at least 11 civilians near a square in central Baghdad has highlighted the practices of foreign security contractors whose aggressive protection of Western diplomats and other dignitaries has long angered Iraqis.
U.S.-Iraqi relations have been further strained by the U.S. detention of an Iranian Thursday in northern Iraq who was accused by the military of smuggling weapons to Shiite militias for use against American troops.
Al-Maliki, in an interview with The Associated Press ahead of his appearance Monday at the U.N. General Assembly, condemned the detention and said the man had been invited to Iraq.
"The government of Iraq is an elected one and sovereign. When it gives a visa it is responsible for the visa," he said. "We consider the arrest ... of this individual who holds an Iraqi visa and a (valid) passport to be unacceptable."
You silly twit. If you had a "sovereign" country you would have an army, police and infrastructure to protect your citizens and guests. You are relying on the US army to fight you enemies and/or your friends (it's hard to tell the difference). In order to be secure in your country people have to rely on private security which has no connection to the Iraqi government.
Mr Nouri al-Maliki, get yourself a "sovereign" country and you can run it the way you want. Otherwise sit down and shut up.
Could it be that he is very upset about the Iranians his allies getting slammed in Iraq?. Sunni Sheiks recognizing the US if it stays will not allow the Shia to dominate and beginning to cooperate?
Gee.. I wonder..
W
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