Iraq PM says US forces can leave Al-Maliki says Iraqi police and soldiers could fill the void.
Last Modified:
15 Jul 2007 08:03 GMT
Iraq's prime minister has cast off US doubts over his government's military and political progress, saying Iraqi forces are capable and US troops can leave "any time they want".
Nuri al-Maliki's comments came on Saturday, after one of his aids accused US forces of committing human rights violations and arming "gangs of killers".
At a time when pressure is mounting in the US for George Bush, the US president, to withdraw American troops from Iraq, al-Maliki has said his administration needs "time and effort" to enact the political reforms called for by Washington.
"Particularly since the political process is facing security, economic and services pressures, as well as regional and international interference," said al-Maliki.
But he said if necessary, Iraqi police and soldiers could fill the void left by the departure of coalition forces.
"We say in full confidence that we are able, God willing, to take the responsibility completely in running the security file if the international forces withdraw at any time they want," he said.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2007/07/2008525125353960867.htmlIf that dumbass fucking wannabe cowboy chimp had any brains at all, he would have declared victory and pulled out right then and there, but he was too fucking stupid to do it, or he was trying to enrich his war profiteer cronies all he could. Both of these scenarios are plausible for explaining why he didn't use this opportunity to pull out.