Negroponte visits Iraq to press Maliki on reform

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Negroponte visits Iraq to press Maliki on reform

17 minutes ago

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John
Negroponte met Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Baghdad on
Tuesday in the latest high-level visit from Washington to
press for progress on political reform.

They discussed efforts towards national reconciliation, the
performance of the Iraqi security forces and a long-awaited
law to share oil revenues, among other things, according to
a statement from Maliki's office. There was no indication
of any assurances that Maliki was able to offer.

Negroponte's visit comes amid rising calls from the U.S.
Congress for the Iraqi government to make headway on these
and other steps towards reconciliation between the country's
Shi'ite majority, Sunnis and Kurds.

Thousands of extra U.S. troops have been deployed in the
Iraqi capital to counter sectarian violence and help Maliki
to press ahead with reform. But many Americans want their
troops to start coming home and Congress is demanding
results.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070612/pl_nm/iraq_negroponte_dc

[whistle]

1. Negroponte was sent by Dubya to make an offer that Maliki could not refuse

[Rydz777]

3. They're lining up to fly into Baghdad "to press Maliki

on reforms," and Maliki smiles and serves tea. And when they fly out, nothing happens. Correction: something does happen. More bombs go off and more American troops are killed and maimed. Out NOW.

[0007]

5. The man that produces results.......

[Supersedeas]

2. 6 months into the Surge and the Keystone Bushies are still looking for Reforms!!!

[Javaman]

4. and to step up the performance of the death squads. nt

[hang a left]

6. When are they gonna send the Godfather??

You know of whom I speak. Baker.

[Eugene]

7. Iraq makes slow progress on meeting U.S. targets

Source: Reuters

Iraq makes slow progress on meeting U.S. targets

By Aseel Kami and Ross Colvin
Jun 12, 2007

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - "Slow as a turtle" was how one Iraqi
lawmaker on Tuesday described Iraq's faltering progress in
meeting political benchmarks set by Washington to encourage
national reconciliation and end sectarian violence.

Washington has dispatched a succession of officials to press
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government to speed up passage
of laws aimed at drawing disaffected minority Sunni Arabs
more firmly into the political process.

The latest was Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte,
who met Maliki on Tuesday to discuss the status of an oil
revenue-sharing law, constitutional reforms, a law ending
a ban on former Baathists holding public office and
provincial polls.

-snip-

The strategy has been costly in the lives of U.S. soldiers,
127 were killed in May alone, and there is little to show for
it -- the political blocs have made little headway in breaking
the logjam holding up agreement on the laws.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=3269357

[Felix Mala]

8. Didn't Negroponte already get a shot at success in Iraq and muffed it?