http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Sectionpage.asp?section=Local_NewsWASHINGTON: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki sidestepped controversy over Israel and Lebanon, and depicted Iraq as central to the war on terrorism, when he addressed the US Congress yesterday.
"Trust that Iraq will be the grave of terrorism and terrorists, for the good of all humanity," said Mr Maliki, who drew applause even after Democrats condemned his earlier statements blaming Israel as the aggressor in the Lebanon conflict. Democrats demanded he apologise or clarify his remarks, and some threatened to boycott the address. Most Democrats were in their seats for the speech, which was interrupted by applause more than 20 times.
Mr Maliki did not address Iraq's growing sectarian violence, which many experts say amounts to civil war. An average of 100 people a day have died in attacks between factions in the past few weeks.
Recalling a failed uprising against president Saddam Hussein in 1991, Mr Maliki warned the US not to abandon his country.
"Let us not allow what happened in 1991 to repeat itself, because if it does, history will not be merciful to any one of us," he said.
After the Gulf War, then president George H.W. Bush was viewed as supportive of a Shia uprising against Saddam but did not give it military assistance and it was crushed.
Mr Maliki thanked the US "for helping our people get rid of dictatorship" in the war in which more than 2500 US soldiers have died and which has cost US taxpayers more than $US300 billion ($394 billion). There are about 127,000 US troops in Iraq.
The unpopular war has eroded President George W. Bush's approval ratings, jeopardising his Republican Party's hopes for keeping control of Congress in November's mid-term elections.
Several Democrats said they were disappointed Mr Maliki did not directly condemn Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation in comments he made about the Israeli offensive in Lebanon.
They also said he glossed over the killing between Shia and Sunnis that they see as the main threat in Iraq, slowing the withdrawal of US forces.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said it was "hard to find optimism" in the fact that most of the violence "is perpetrated by Iraqis against Iraqis" and said Mr Maliki "seemed to be in denial" of the situation.
But Republican senator John Warner of Virginia said Mr Maliki withstood "an enormous amount of criticism back in Iraq" for visiting Washington because of its pro-Israel stance in the conflict in Lebanon.
Mr Bush later joined Mr Maliki for lunch with troops at Fort Belvoir, near Washington. "We stand with you, and no matter how tough it gets, we will complete this mission," Mr Bush said.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19936739-2703,00.html
"Trust that Iraq will be the grave of terrorism and terrorists, for the good of all humanity," said Mr Maliki, who drew applause even after Democrats condemned his earlier statements blaming Israel as the aggressor in the Lebanon conflict. Democrats demanded he apologise or clarify his remarks, and some threatened to boycott the address. Most Democrats were in their seats for the speech, which was interrupted by applause more than 20 times.
Mr Maliki did not address Iraq's growing sectarian violence, which many experts say amounts to civil war. An average of 100 people a day have died in attacks between factions in the past few weeks.
Recalling a failed uprising against president Saddam Hussein in 1991, Mr Maliki warned the US not to abandon his country.
"Let us not allow what happened in 1991 to repeat itself, because if it does, history will not be merciful to any one of us," he said.
After the Gulf War, then president George H.W. Bush was viewed as supportive of a Shia uprising against Saddam but did not give it military assistance and it was crushed.
Mr Maliki thanked the US "for helping our people get rid of dictatorship" in the war in which more than 2500 US soldiers have died and which has cost US taxpayers more than $US300 billion ($394 billion). There are about 127,000 US troops in Iraq.
The unpopular war has eroded President George W. Bush's approval ratings, jeopardising his Republican Party's hopes for keeping control of Congress in November's mid-term elections.
Several Democrats said they were disappointed Mr Maliki did not directly condemn Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation in comments he made about the Israeli offensive in Lebanon.
They also said he glossed over the killing between Shia and Sunnis that they see as the main threat in Iraq, slowing the withdrawal of US forces.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said it was "hard to find optimism" in the fact that most of the violence "is perpetrated by Iraqis against Iraqis" and said Mr Maliki "seemed to be in denial" of the situation.
But Republican senator John Warner of Virginia said Mr Maliki withstood "an enormous amount of criticism back in Iraq" for visiting Washington because of its pro-Israel stance in the conflict in Lebanon.
Mr Bush later joined Mr Maliki for lunch with troops at Fort Belvoir, near Washington. "We stand with you, and no matter how tough it gets, we will complete this mission," Mr Bush said.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19936739-2703,00.html
