Breaking News---Maliki heads to Washington

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

BAGHDAD / NINA / Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said he would discuss with U.S. officials in Washington a number of topics in the forefront is activating the strategic framework agreement.

Maliki said in a press conference, held at Baghdad International Airport before his departure to Washington, that he would discuss with the US officials a number of issues, including the activation of the strategic framework agreement and the fight against terrorism and the Syrian crisis.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki travelled to the United States on Tuesday, Oct 28, to press for urgent help and arms to combat the worst upsurge of violence in years, according to Reuters.

Nearly three years since the last U.S. troops withdrew, Sunni Islamist militants are waging a campaign to destabilize the Shi'ite-led government that came to power after former dictator Saddam Hussein was overthrown in 2003.

Trained and equipped by the United States at a cost of $25 billion, Iraq's security forces are struggling against Sunni Islamist insurgents who have driven the civilian death toll so far this year above 7,000.

"The urgent thing is to supply Iraq as quickly as possible with weapons of an offensive nature to combat terrorism and chase the armed groups," Maliki said at an airport news conference before his departure.

Iraq has in the past urged Washington to speed up delivery of an order of F-16 planes, but Maliki said those would not help Baghdad fight militants and the priority now was to get other kinds of equipment such as helicopters.

Officials in Baghdad blame deteriorating security on the civil war in neighboring Syria, which has drawn hardline Sunnis and Shi'ites from across the region.

Al Qaeda's Syrian and Iraqi affiliates merged earlier this year to form the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, which has claimed responsibility for attacks on both sides of the border.

Iraq is struggling to control the long border without U.S. intelligence capabilities, and Maliki said he would seek more cooperation with Washington on that front.

Maliki's critics say the increase in violence has as much to do with the marginalization of Iraq's Sunni minority under his government than spillover from Syria.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

This a good sign as the value of the currency has to change before the SFA is FULLY implemented... ;) (quack)

Can pieces be implemented, I would say yes by oopinion.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri-al-Maliki has flown to the U.S. to appeal for assistance in crushing an upsurge in Sunni-led violence, The Daily Star reports.

Almost 3 years since the U.S.'s official December 2011 withdrawal from the region, the Shiite-led government has been facing increasing violence from Sunni-led militant factions, who oppose the change in State policies since U.S.-led forces ousted the country's Sunni leader Saddam Hussein in 2003.

While Iraq's security forces have been trained by the U.S. at the cost of some $25 billion, they still struggle to maintain order among the upswing in faction-based violence - the death toll from which has [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].

In one of the latest incident, this past Sunday's car bombings in Baghdad, [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]in 10 consecutive explosions.

At an airport news conference before his departure, Maliki urged US leaders to "supply Iraq as quickly as possible with weapons of an offensive nature to combat terrorism and chase the armed groups."



The move also follows recent US efforts to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]with Iran, Iraq's closest geographic neighbor and rival, oft-speculated to be the ultimate benefactor from the tipping of the balance of power which followed since Hussein's assassination.

Washington has provided no comment on the upcoming visit. 

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki left for Washington on Tuesday, where he will push for increased US support for Baghdad's efforts to curb a months-long surge in violence.

The unrest in Iraq has reached a level unseen since 2008 and killed more than 5,350 people this year, as authorities have so far failed to curb daily attacks despite carrying out a swathe of operations and implementing several tightened security measures.

"We will discuss ... security and intelligence cooperation in addition to the file of arming (Iraq)," Maliki said in a televised news conference, adding that economic, energy and other issues would also be on the agenda.

His spokesman Ali Mussawi told AFP that during the trip, Maliki will seek to "intensify efforts to gain American support for fighting terrorism."

The Iraqi premier is to meet President Barack Obama on November 1 for talks about bilateral relations and "regional issues," the White House said.

Maliki heads to Washington weeks ahead of the two-year anniversary of the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq, which came after talks on a continued military presence broke down over the issue of legal immunity for the US forces, which Iraq opposed.

US-led forces invaded Iraq in 2003, toppling dictator Saddam Hussein and setting the stage for a wave of sectarian violence that killed tens of thousands of Iraqis, as well as nearly 4,500 American soldiers.

Iraq has ordered billions of dollars of military equipment from the United States, with a small number of US military personnel under embassy authority assisting with fielding the gear and training.

Iraq's order of dozens of F-16 warplanes has sometimes been a point of contention between the two countries, with Baghdad calling for faster delivery and Washington saying that is not possible.

Another recurring issue is Iranian flights to Syria via Iraqi airspace that Washington says are carrying weapons to President Bashar al-Assad's regime, which is locked in a bloody civil war with rebels.

The United States has repeatedly called on Iraq to stop the flights, with Baghdad responding that it is unable to do so.
At the time of the US military withdrawal, Iraqi forces were repeatedly touted as being capable of maintaining internal security, but the surge in violence this year has raised questions about their effectiveness.

Iraqi efforts to combat the heightened unrest have yet to be successful, and experts say Baghdad should turn to longer-term efforts that build trust among citizens, especially members of the country's Sunni minority.

Widespread discontent among Iraq's Sunnis, who complain of being politically isolated and unfairly targeted by security forces, has been a major factor in the unrest, along with the civil war in neighbouring Syria, which has bolstered militants.

More than 670 people have been killed in violence so far this month, and over 5,350 since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Sunnis Sunnis Sunnis, they say they are 50%, guess the CENSUS in the future will determine that.... ;)

Neno wrote:This a good sign as the value of the currency has to change before the SFA is FULLY implemented... ;)(quack)

Can pieces be implemented, I would say yes by oopinion.

So they can IMplement  in pieces and we wait...timeframe?  2014...2015... And the beat goes on.  But is there urgency now since Mal is in Washington

Have to wait and see. He is claiming the security part is..... ;)