Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Media: The Associated Press
Byline: By KEVIN FREKING
Date: 06 August 2006
WASHINGTON_Iraq is not on track to become another Iran despite the
disconcerting images last week of Iraqis burning U.S. flags and chanting
"Death to America," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday.
"I have no doubt that this is an Iraqi government and an Iraq that is going
to be a fierce fighter in the war against terrorism, because they themselves
are experiencing the effects of terror on their population," Rice said. "I
have no doubt that this is going to be a government that is on the right
side in the war on terror."
The protests in Baghdad on Friday were organized by anti-American cleric
Muqtada al-Sadr in response to fighting in Lebanon between Israel and
Hezbollah Shiite guerrillas. Tens of thousands of al-Sadr supporters from
across Iraq's Shiite heartland chanted "Death to Israel, Death to America"
in the one of the biggest pro-Hezbollah rallies since the conflict began
July 12.
Rice, during an appearance on NBC television's Meet the Press, was asked
whether the United States has helped create another fundamentalist Islamic
regime in Iraq, such as the one in Iran. Rice said she did not like what the
protesters said, but she believes that Iraq today is better off than when
sectarian differences were suppressed through the iron rule of Saddam
Hussein.
"That people would go out and demonstrate and say what they feel is the one
sign that perhaps Iraq is one place in the Middle East where people are
exercising their right to free speech," she said. "No. I don't like what
they said."
She said she thinks that as Iraq becomes more stable and democratic "you
won't have demonstrations of that kind."
"The notion that somehow Iraq under Prime Minister (Nouri al-Maliki) and his
government is something akin to Iran is just not right. It's just
erroneous," Rice said.
Rice disputed the analysis of Britain's outgoing Iraq ambassador, William
Patey, who warned Prime Minister Tony Blair that civil war is a more likely
outcome in Iraq than democracy. She noted that Gen. John Abizaid, the top
U.S. commander in the Middle East, also warned last week of the threat of
civil war, but that he believes "we have the forces in place and the plan in
place to prevent that."
"He didn't say, 'sliding toward civil war.' He said the dangers are there.
Of course the dangers are there when you have sectarian violence," Rice
said.
Byline: By KEVIN FREKING
Date: 06 August 2006
WASHINGTON_Iraq is not on track to become another Iran despite the
disconcerting images last week of Iraqis burning U.S. flags and chanting
"Death to America," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday.
"I have no doubt that this is an Iraqi government and an Iraq that is going
to be a fierce fighter in the war against terrorism, because they themselves
are experiencing the effects of terror on their population," Rice said. "I
have no doubt that this is going to be a government that is on the right
side in the war on terror."
The protests in Baghdad on Friday were organized by anti-American cleric
Muqtada al-Sadr in response to fighting in Lebanon between Israel and
Hezbollah Shiite guerrillas. Tens of thousands of al-Sadr supporters from
across Iraq's Shiite heartland chanted "Death to Israel, Death to America"
in the one of the biggest pro-Hezbollah rallies since the conflict began
July 12.
Rice, during an appearance on NBC television's Meet the Press, was asked
whether the United States has helped create another fundamentalist Islamic
regime in Iraq, such as the one in Iran. Rice said she did not like what the
protesters said, but she believes that Iraq today is better off than when
sectarian differences were suppressed through the iron rule of Saddam
Hussein.
"That people would go out and demonstrate and say what they feel is the one
sign that perhaps Iraq is one place in the Middle East where people are
exercising their right to free speech," she said. "No. I don't like what
they said."
She said she thinks that as Iraq becomes more stable and democratic "you
won't have demonstrations of that kind."
"The notion that somehow Iraq under Prime Minister (Nouri al-Maliki) and his
government is something akin to Iran is just not right. It's just
erroneous," Rice said.
Rice disputed the analysis of Britain's outgoing Iraq ambassador, William
Patey, who warned Prime Minister Tony Blair that civil war is a more likely
outcome in Iraq than democracy. She noted that Gen. John Abizaid, the top
U.S. commander in the Middle East, also warned last week of the threat of
civil war, but that he believes "we have the forces in place and the plan in
place to prevent that."
"He didn't say, 'sliding toward civil war.' He said the dangers are there.
Of course the dangers are there when you have sectarian violence," Rice
said.