Maliki cuts short US visit

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See the best of Reuters photography. See more Photos of the week Our top photos from the past week. Slideshow Banksy in New York Creations by Banksy during his NY residency. Slideshow Sponsored LinksIraqi PM Maliki struggles to convince U.S. lawmakers to back more aid inShare.2Share thisEmailPrintReprintsRelated TopicsWorld » United Nations » Iraq » Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (L) places a wreath at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial at Rajghat in New Delhi August 23, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Ahmad Masood By Patricia Zengerle and Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON | Wed Oct 30, 2013 5:38pm EDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers had tough criticism for Iraq's government after meeting with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday, saying they were open to meeting his request for military assistance only if Baghdad made significant changes. Maliki is on his first visit to Washington in two years, urgently seeking U.S. Apache attack helicopters and other military supplies to fight militant groups such as al Qaeda in Iraq as sectarian violence spills over the border from Syria. But U.S. officials, particularly members of Congress who take a harder line on many foreign policy issues than the Obama administration, have watched in dismay as Maliki has ignored Washington's calls to give Iraq's Sunni and Kurdish minorities a greater role in his Shi'ite-led government, and moved closer to Iran since U.S. troops left Iraq two years ago. "The situation is deteriorating and it's unraveling, and he's got to turn it around," said Senator John McCain, one of the most influential foreign policy voices in the Republican party, after meeting with Maliki. McCain was one of six Republican and Democratic senators who sent a letter to President Barack Obama on Tuesday taking a hard line against Maliki and blaming his government's actions for a rising tide of violence. Maliki "too often" pursues a sectarian and authoritarian agenda, strengthening al Qaeda in Iraq, a Sunni militant group, and fueling violence between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims, the senators wrote. The United Nations estimates that more than 7,000 civilians have been killed in Iraq this year. "Frankly, he is not very happy about that letter," McCain said. "But.. (if) he expects this kind of assistance that he's asking for, then we need a strategy and we need to know exactly how that's going to be deployed, and we need to see some changes in Iraq." The lawmakers are also angry about reports that Iran uses Iraqi airspace to send military assistance to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a civil war that has killed more than 115,000 civilians. A senior Obama administration official said the administration believed the number of flights had decreased, although it has asked Maliki's government to improve its inspections. "Right now, I don't think the inspection regime is airtight, but it is much better than what it was six months ago," the official said. 'DIDN'T SEEM TO DIGEST' U.S. CONCERNS Maliki's stops in Congress included his meeting with McCain and sessions with the leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee. Senator Bob Corker, the top Republican on the Senate panel, who also signed the letter, said Maliki's visit had not been as productive as most with other international leaders. "I don't think he seemed to internalize the concerns that we have about what's happening there. He didn't seem to digest that they are important to us, and I don't think it was a particularly healthy meeting," Corker said in a phone interview. The administration official said the White House supported helping the Iraqis fight al Qaeda, but that it was up to Maliki and his delegation to make their case for support to Congress. "I won't discuss the specific equipment requests, but we are working closely with Congress, and I know the Iraqi delegation will be on the Hill discussing it," the official said. Separately, the official said delivery of F-16 fighters to Iraq was on track for next autumn, after Iraq deposited an installment of roughly $650 million for the jets. Maliki met with Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday morning. He was due to sit down with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Thursday before meeting with Obama on Friday. During their two-hour meeting, Maliki and Biden talked about the threats Iraq faces, and regional issues. The senior administration official said Syria was a "big" topic of conversation. The last U.S. troops left Iraq at the end of 2011, after eight years of war. Many Americans are disturbed about continuing violence in Iraq, and its closeness to U.S. antagonist Iran, after spending billions of dollars and losing thousands of lives in the eight-year war that ousted dictator Saddam Hussein. "It almost seems like after all the blood we lost and all the money we spent, that Iran seems to have more influence in Iraq than the United States does and that of course is a galling situation," said Representative Eliot Engel, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. But Engel said Maliki's meeting with him and Republican Representative Ed Royce, the committee chairman, had been friendly as they discussed a range of concerns. "I think he stepped into a very difficult situation. He kept repeating that Iraqi democracy is not perfect, but it's a democracy," Engel said. (Editing by Peter Cooney) ============== Fri 23:49 Barney71255 This seems strange that Maliki and his delegation left US early for a stated emergency. His visit has not gone well with Congress and he leaves just after talking with Obama. Perhaps there is a real issue or perhaps he didn't like what the US has said to him. Something to watch for over the weekend An emergency forced Al-Maliki to cut short his visit to America Cutting Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's visit to the United States an emergency order void some programmes there. A diplomatic source told the Agency Iraq IGN that "Maliki and his Entourage will return tomorrow to Baghdad after meeting us President Barack Obama. "An emergency order to make prime cuts and visit four days instead of five as planned." "Many programs were scheduled during the visit had been cancelled, including meeting with Iraqi community." The source did not indicate emergency command which make prime cut his visit to the United States. The Prime Minister and his accompanying delegation left Baghdad on Tuesday afternoon, heading to the United States for an official visit scheduled to last five days. The Prime Minister held talks with us President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden and other officials in the Government and the Congress concerning the development of bilateral relations and expand cooperation in accordance with the strategic framework agreement signed between the two countries and ways of strengthening security and stability and combating terrorism, discuss developments in the region. The delegation accompanying the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and Defence Minister Saadoun al-dulaimi, the Agency and the number of members of the House of representatives and advisors. over http://www.burathane...cle_217027.html 0 "OM. Lead me from unreal to real; lead me from darkness to light; lead me from death to immortality. OM... peace, peace, peace.— ;" Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.2839 Read more: http://dinarvets.com/forums/index.php?/topic/164775-an-emergency-forced-al-maliki-to-cut-short-his-visit-to-america/#ixzz2jRNsAcgr More ========================================== U.S. wants 'inclusive' Iraq: Obama Fri, Nov 01 21:13 PM EDT By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama pressed Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Friday to build a more inclusive democracy in his country and said the United States would cooperate with Iraq as it tries to push back a resurgent al Qaeda. As Iraq experiences a rising spiral of sectarian violence two years after U.S. troops departed following eight years of war, Maliki came to Washington seeking U.S. help to counter a Sunni insurgency revived in part by Syria's civil war next door. Obama, in White House Oval Office remarks with Maliki at his side, made no mention of supplying the U.S.-made Apache helicopters the Iraqis are seeking from the United States. A statement issued by the two governments said both delegations agreed that Iraqi forces urgently needed additional equipment to conduct operations in remote areas where militant camps are located. But it did not specifically cite military aid. "We had a lot of discussion about how we can work together to push back against that terrorist organization that operates not only in Iraq but also poses a threat to the entire region and to the United States," Obama said. He focused most of his remarks on the need for Iraq to take more steps toward an inclusive democracy, such as by approving an election law and holding free and fair elections next year, "so people can resolve differences through politics instead of violence." Maliki is seeking increased military aid such as the Apache helicopters to suppress sectarian violence, but faces opposition on that front from some U.S. lawmakers. Six influential senators on Thursday took a hard line against Maliki, saying his mismanagement of Iraqi politics was contributing to the surge of violence in which 7,000 civilians have been killed this year. Maliki, a Shi'ite Muslim, has been widely criticized in Iraq and in Washington for failing to give Iraq's Sunnis, Kurds and other minorities a greater role in the country's central government. The joint U.S.-Iraqi statement noted the Iraqis stressed a desire to purchase U.S. equipment and confirmed its commitment to ensure strict compliance with U.S. laws and regulations on the use of such equipment. Maliki, speaking through an interpreter, said he and Obama talked about how to counter terrorism and that he wanted to strengthen democracy in Iraq. "We also want to have the mechanism of democracy such as elections, and we want to hold the elections on time, and the government is committed to do so," he said. "Democracy needs to be strong, and we are going to strengthen it because it only will allow us to fight terrorism." The two leaders also agreed on the need for a peaceful resolution to Syria's civil war and to Iran's nuclear ambitions. (Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Peter Cooney) ===============================