US senators question tactics in Iraq

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Source: CCTV.com | 10-23-2006 13:57

As America's mid-term elections are approaching, there's been increasing debate over the United States' tactics in Iraq. Over the weekend, a high-ranking US official specializing in near eastern affairs said the U.S. has shown "arrogance" and "stupidity" in Iraq. Leading U.S. senators have also been debarring the White House's recent review of strategy in Iraq. This comes after a deadly month for U.S. troops in Iraq. And ahead of Congressional elections that could potentially shift legislative power to the Democratic Party.

The Director of the US Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs of Public Diplomacy, Albertio Fernandez, said on Saturday that the United States has tried its best in Iraq. But there is still much room for criticism. He also said that Washington is ready to talk with any non-terrorist Iraqi group. He made the remarks during an interview on Arabic Al-Jazeera television.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, a Republican senator said Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is the best Iraqi leader at least for now. But that he doesn't have much clout.

Richard Lugar, US senator for Indiana said, “Well, I think he's probably the best horse to ride on in the situation. The predicament is such as Maliki (Iraqi Prime Minister) looks at it is that the Kurds are in favour of democracy generally, but polling in Iraq indicates that very conflicted on democracy at all with regard to the central part of the country and Sunni areas don't like democracy.”

But Democrat senator Joseph Biden says he is running out of patience with the current Iraqi government.

Joseph Biden, US senator for Delaware said, “We set out benchmarks, we tried to get them to accept benchmarks a year and a half ago, and the President called it cutting and running. Now the President is calling for benchmarks. The fact of the matter is benchmarks have already passed. There's a need for hard political solutions here. And that requires getting a Sunni buy-in to a united country and getting the international community to get the parties from Iran to Turkey to stay out.”

And former Democrat Presidential candidate John Kerry says the president should take a harder line in dealing with Iraqi leaders.

John Kerry, US senator for Massachusetts said, “Just the other day, the President committed an enormous blunder. He has a conversation with Mr. Maliki, the Prime Minister, and he comes out and he brags to everybody publicly, what I told him was, he doesn't have to worry, Americans are going to stay there. Well, every time you say to him, Americans are going to stay there and you don't have to worry and we'll stay as long as it takes.”

The White House has also taken issue with a report in Sunday's New York Times. The report said that the military leaders of U.S.-led forces in Iraq are, for the first time working on a plan that would outline benchmarks for disarming militias. This, as well as meeting other political and economic goals.

Editor:Sun Luying