Maliki to US: We can find other friends

[ck4829]

Firing back in an escalating war of words, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki on Wednesday chided U.S. officials for expressing impatience with the Iraqi government's failure to unite divided political factions and said Iraq would find other friends if the United States was disenchanted.

"These statements do not concern us a lot," Maliki said to reporters while he was visiting Syria . "We will find many around the world who will support us in our endeavor."

Maliki's comments came one day after U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker called the government's failure to tackle legislation intended to ease Sunni and Shiite Muslim tensions "extremely disappointing" and two days after the chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee called for the Iraqi parliament to replace Maliki.

President Bush added to the criticism on Tuesday, remarking during a trip to Canada that there is "a certain level of frustration" with Iraq's leaders.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20070822bcusiraq_attn_national_foreign_editors_ytop

[bdamomma]

1. yea, can you see all those mid east countries uniting against

us, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, yea, * is a uniter not a divider.

[IndyOp]

2. U.S. Out! --- U.N. & Arab states In! (n/t)

[bemildred]

3. "Oh, I feel so used! Like an old glove, cast aside." nt