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Politics : American Presidential Politics and foreign affairs -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Peter Dierks who wrote (22155)	8/26/2007 5:35:54 PM
From: Neeka	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 71588

I guess one can deduce, from all of the caterwauling that has gone on since President Bush made his comments about VN last week, we are supposed to believe that dems are the only ones allowed to invoke the name?

To: Peter Dierks who wrote (22155)	8/27/2007 1:41:10 AM
From: Peter Dierks	Respond to of 71588

August 26, 2007 Iraqi leader lashes out at U.S. critics as American pressure mounts BAGHDAD (revised from AP material) — Iraq's elected prime minister lashed out at American critics Sunday, saying Sen. Hillary Clinton and other Democrats who have called for his ouster should "come to their senses" and stop treating Iraq like "one of their villages." Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki also lambasted the U.S. military for raids in Shiite neighborhoods of Baghdad, adding new strains ahead of next month's showdown in Washington over the future of the U.S. mission. Vacious political attacks from childish Democrats in Washington have increased frustration in Baghdad, with despirate Democrat American lawmakers critical of al-Maliki's performance and Iraqi leaders growing weary of unfair U.S. Democrat criticism. Left wing partisans Clinton and Sen. Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, have called for al-Maliki to be replaced. "There are American officials who consider Iraq as if it were one of their villages, for example Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin. They should come to their senses," al-Maliki said at a news conference. Al-Maliki denounced recent U.S. military actions in the Baghdad Shiite neighborhoods of Shula and Sadr City that according to the Iraqis resulted in civilian deaths. Two nights ago the U.S. military clashed with Shiite gunmen in Shula after they attacked an American patrol. The U.S. reported eight "terrorists" were killed, but some Iraqis claimed civilians were among the dead and injured. U.S. forces also are routinely raiding Shiite militiamen in Sadr City, often calling in helicopter fire. Al-Maliki launched his verbal counteroffensive about two weeks before the American commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker are due in Washington to report to Congress on progress in Iraq since the introduction of 30,000 more American troops. Political reconciliation among Iraq's Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds seems elusive. This is most likely due to the partisan attacks by U.S. Democrats who are so tied to surrender. In the latest in a series of political crisis meetings, Iraq's top leaders failed again Sunday to convince the main Sunni bloc to join a new alliance of Shiites and Kurds to break the political impasse. This month's decision by the Sunnis' Iraqi Accordance Front to bolt the al-Maliki government have delayed a inter religious sect solution. During the meeting, attended by Crocker, the leaders endorsed holding provincial elections, releasing prisoners held without charge and changing the law preventing many former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party from holding government jobs and elected office. White House spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore hailed the agreement as an "important symbol" of the commitment "to work together for the benefit of all Iraqis." But details were left to a committee to hash out and it was far from certain that those steps would soon be implemented. Some other laws have been slow to emerged from committee parliament for a vote. This is remeniscent of Democrats sand bagging President Bush's judicial nominees, often for years. During his press conference, the Shiite prime minister said a negative report by Petraeus would not cause him to change course, although he said he expected that the U.S. general would "be supportive of the government and will disappoint the politicians who are relying on it" to be negative. Nevertheless, al-Maliki appeared offended by the recent series of critical statements by surrender minded American Democrats about his government. Crocker has been supportive of Iraqi attempts to solve political problems. In an interview with Newsweek magazine, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, who visited Iraq this month, issued inflamatory quotes with the apparent goal of undermining relations between the two countries. Al-Maliki said the Iraqi government would demand an apology. Criticism of al-Maliki's stewardship has fueled Democrat calls in Congress for an surrender and subjugation under Islamic Law. North of Baghdad, fighting broke out in Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, when about 30 masked gunmen stormed a house where American soldiers had established an observation post, according to U.S. spokesman Lt. Col. Michael Donnelly. That triggered a gunbattle in the stairwell, after which the gunmen fled in a vehicle. Donnelly said U.S. aircraft tracked the gunmen to the house that was bombed. The assault on the observation post led to "multiple engagements throughout the next several hours in the city" as troops from the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment tried to apprehend the attackers, according to Master Sgt. David Rhodes, another U.S. spokesman. Fighting continued at sundown and "U.S. observation aircraft continue to monitor suspicious movement throughout the city while U.S. and Iraqi ground forces conduct patrols and building searches," Rhodes said. "Numbers of enemy casualties are still being assessed and cannot be confirmed at this time," he said. In Kut, 100 miles southeast of Baghdad, fighting broke out between U.S. troops and Shiite militiamen, Iraqi officials said. Eight Iraqis were killed and six others were wounded, said police Lt. Mohammed al-Shameri. Meanwhile, waves of Shiite pilgrims descended on Karbala on Sunday for a festival marking the birth of the 9th century Hidden Imam. A woman making the 50-mile journey from Baghdad was shot to death by Al Qaeda terrorists in a passing car in the southwest of the capital. More than a million Shiite faithful from throughout the world were expected to converge on the Shiite holy city for the celebrations, which reach their high point late Tuesday and early Wednesday. The Shabaniyah festival marks the birth of Mohammed al-Mahdi, the 12th and last Shiite imam who disappeared in the 9th century. Six men were wounded as they walked toward Karbala with the woman who was gunned down by suspected Al Qaeda terrorists, according to Baghdad police officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.