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Iraqi Foreign minister says Iraqis unready
to rule
31.8.2007
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August 31, 2007
BAGHDAD, -- A senior Iraqi official cautioned
yesterday against expecting "magical solutions" from
the September report to Congress on military and
political progress in Iraq and acknowledged that
Iraqis were still not ready to defend the country on
their own.
The assessments by Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari
touched on some of the core U.S. frustrations
expected in the report, including Iraqi leaders'
inability to put aside their political feuds and
make strides toward creating a credible security
force to allow a possible American withdrawal.
In the south, gunmen set fire to offices of a Shiite
political party in at least three towns as tensions
remained high.
The attacks raise doubts about the impact of an
order by the anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr
to suspend operations of his powerful Mahdi Army
militia. His declaration Wednesday brought hope of
easing the fighting among the majority Shiite
community. |
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari |
At a news conference, Zebari insisted that Iraq had
made headway in resolving political differences,
despite defections by the main Sunni Arab bloc and a
hard-line Shiite faction.
"The whole world is waiting anxiously to see what
this report will indicate," Zebari said. "I
personally believe that this report would not
provide any magical solutions or provide any instant
answers to the difficulties and challenges we are
going through."
Zebari, a Kurd, cited an agreement last weekend by
the country's five foremost political leaders, who
pledged to work for parliamentary approval of
landmark legislation demanded by Washington.
"I am hopeful that come Sept. 11 or 12, you will see
more political progress," Zebari said. He did not
elaborate.
The Defense Ministry said yesterday that 35 people
were killed and 130 wounded during the battles
earlier this week in the Shiite holy city of Karbala
between the Mahdi Army and the Badr Organization,
allied with the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, the
biggest Shiite party.
After the Karbala confrontation, Sadr ordered a
six-month suspension of activities by his militia to
reorganize the force and presumably rein in
Iranian-backed splinter groups that are beyond his
control.
A spokesman for Sadr said the six-month hiatus could
end any time necessary, but he would not confirm the
deputy governor's statement. "The freezing of the
Mahdi Army will end if something happens and
requires that," Abu Firas al-Mutairi
said.
The order appeared to have an effect in Sadr City,
the Shiite slum in northeast Baghdad. Residents said
there was no sign of Mahdi militiamen, who normally
cruise the streets in cars and converge on Sadr's
office in the evening. Yesterday, the office was
padlocked.
AP
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