UNITED NATIONS
(AP) -- Iraq's president appealed for help Thursday
in fighting terrorism and counseled patience as his
country tries to overcome widespread violence and
establish a modern state.
''Today, Iraq is facing one of the most brutal
campaigns of terror at the hands of the forces of
darkness,'' President Jalal Talabani told a U.N.
summit of world leaders.
''We are in desperate need of your experience,
investment and your moral support for the effort to
fight terrorism.''
Terrorists want to turn Iraq into a base to carry
their fight into the rest of the Middle East and the
world, he said. |
President : Jalal Talabani
Photo: AP |
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Insurgents are killing Iraqis by the hundreds and
are trying to stop their march toward deciding on a
new constitution and a modern state, he said.
Acknowledging the political difficulties in Iraq,
Talabani urged patience.
The shape of a democratic, pluralistic and federal
Iraq is not quite clear yet, he said, adding: ''All
need time.''
Since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam
Hussein in 2003, Iraq has seen insurgents battle the
U.S.-backed government and drive coalition forces
from the country.
Even those within the government -- the Shiite Arabs
and the ethnic Kurds who dominate -- have
differences over the constitution and other
political issues, while the minority Sunnis who
wielded power under Saddam have refused to
participate.
He renewed a call for the international community to
write off Iraq's debts, provide economic expertise
and participate in its reconstruction. A prosperous
Iraq would help defeat terrorism, he added.
Seeking to allay fears that a U.S.-backed Iraq might
be breaking away from the rest of the Arab world,
Talabani stressed that his country is a member of
the Arab League and supports its charter.
AP
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