George Bush hints Iraqi PM must go

George Bush hints Iraqi PM must go
By Alex Spillius in Washington
Last Updated: 9:27am BST 22/08/2007



President George W Bush yesterday signalled that his patience with the Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki had run out, suggesting that he should be voted from office before the country's security deteriorates further.

Helicopter crash kills 14 US troops in Iraq
President George W Bush has so far stuck by Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki


Speaking at a trade summit in Canada, Mr Bush said: "There's a certain level of frustration with the leadership in general.

"The fundamental question is, will the government respond to the demands of the people? And if the government doesn't respond to the demands of the people, they will replace the government.

"That's up to the Iraqis to make that decision, not American politicians."

Hours earlier Ryan Crocker, the US ambassador to Baghdad, described Iraq's political progress as "extremely disappointing".

His comments came two weeks before he is due to submit a crucial report to Washington on the state of the war. Two prominent US senators have also called this week for Mr Maliki to go.

Mr Crocker delivered a dismal assessment of efforts by Mr Maliki's government to reconcile sectarian factions and their militias or strike a deal for sharing oil revenues.

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"Progress on national level issues has been extremely disappointing to all concerned: to us, to Iraqis, and to the Iraqi leadership itself," he said.

"I would suggest that before you get meaningful reconciliation that does not just involve leaders but is phased down to society, that is going to take time." Mr Crocker and General David Petraeus, the senior US commander in Iraq, are due to report to Congress on the progress of their efforts to halt the violence and return Iraq to viable self-governance.

A poor report will boost the Democrats' efforts to force Mr Bush to bring troops home soon. So far he has used his veto to resist bills to that end.

The remarks by the president and his ambassador seemed calculated to lessen the impact of what is likely to be at best a mixed scorecard.

Mr Bush appears to want to buy time by offering the prospect of political change in Iraq.

The president has so far stuck by Mr Maliki, having invested huge hope in the first elected Iraqi prime minister since the 2003 invasion.

But Mr Maliki has been criticised as weak and beholden to Shia factions that promoted him.

Mr Crocker and Gen Petraeus are expected to conclude that deadlines should not be set for Iraqi politicians to work together.

Mr Maliki has called a political summit to try to rescue his national unity government, which has been hit by walkouts by political blocs including the main Sunni group, the National Concord Front.

In Baghdad, the trial began yesterday of 15 members of Saddam Hussein's regime who are accused of crimes against humanity in crushing the Shia rebellion after the 1991 Gulf conflict.

They include Saddam's cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali", already sentenced to death for atrocities against the Kurds.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/22/wiraq122.xml