Iraq to condemn Hizbollah attacks - minister

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N26296064.htm

Iraq to condemn Hizbollah attacks - minister

WASHINGTON, July 26 (Reuters) - Iraq will join some other Arab League nations in condemning Hizbollah's attacks on Israel, Iraq's foreign minister told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday, as Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki addressed a joint meeting of Congress.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told lawmakers that Iraq will join Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt in condemning Hizbollah, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada told reporters.

Reid and many other Democrats were irate that Maliki last week denounced Israel as the aggressor in the conflict in Lebanon, without laying any blame on the Islamic militant group Hizbollah. They had called for him to apologize or clarify his remarks.

Maliki, addressing a joint meeting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, said Iraq was key to defeating terrorism worldwide. Recalling the failed uprising against Saddam Hussein in 1991, he urged the United States not to abandon his country.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[Roland99]

2. Did Cheney have Maliki restrung?

[ECH1969]

3. This is good news

Democrats have succeded in getting Iraq to condem Hezbollah. They need to keep up the pressure so we can also get them to reconize Israel's right to self defense.

[sabra]

4. they would first need to consider Israel as a legitimate country

which many Iraqi officials don't...

[BillZBubb]

5. The puppet show must go on.

Jerk a string here, jerk a string there.

[ECH1969]

6. You don't think this is a good thing the dems did?

[norml]

12. “take quick action to stop the Israeli aggression.” I agree.

Al-Maliki last week denounced Israel’s retaliation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, calling on Arab countries to “take quick action to stop the Israeli aggression.”

The Iraqi parliament called Israel’s actions “criminal aggression” and voted unanimously to condemn them.

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/072606/news3.html

[rodeodance]

7. they call it a flip flop.

[saigon68]

8. Puppets like these

[rodeodance]

10. -------He did not mention Israel in his prepared remarks,------

[rodeodance]

9. .Maliki was seeking to smooth relations with Washington

.....Maliki was seeking to smooth relations with Washington that were strained by his denunciation of Israel, and to reassure lawmakers his country can be brought back from the brink of full-scale civil war.

He did not mention Israel in his prepared remarks, but lawmakers brought it up to him in meetings before the speech.

Maliki lavished thanks on the United States "for helping our people get rid of dictatorship" in the war in which over 2,500 U.S. soldiers have died and that has cost U.S. taxpayers more than $300 billion.

[norml]

11. Prime Minister says one thing, Foreign Minister says another.

Something for everybody!

:party:

However, I do believe a Prime Minister outranks a Foreign Minister.