.Iraq PM denounces Israel over Lebanon, Gaza
BAGHDAD, July 15 (Reuters) - Iraq's U.S.-backed government denounced Israel's "criminal" raids on Lebanon and Gaza and the prime minister warned on Saturday that violence could escalate across the Middle East.
In a rare public foray into affairs beyond Iraq's borders, the premier's office said in a statement: "Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki denounces the Israeli raids on Lebanon and warns of the consequences of escalation in the region.
"The prime minister calls on Arab foreign ministers to meet to take a clear stand that condemns the criminal acts in Lebanon and Gaza and affirms this assault will make Lebanon's people more united and cohesive in the face of the Israeli challenge."
Arab foreign ministers held an emergency meeting in Cairo on Saturday to discuss ways to end Israeli attacks.
The Iraqi government, installed two months ago in a U.S.-sponsored electoral process, has focused its foreign policy on mending frosty relations with its neighbours, partly to improve security by hindering foreign aid to guerrilla groups.
Other Arabs have been suspicious of Iraq's new rulers, partly because of the dominant U.S. military role in Baghdad. Maliki has been at pains recently to demonstrate independence and to improve ties with the mostly Sunni Muslim Arab leaders.
Some of his fellow Shi'ite Islamists in the coalition government, notably followers of radical young cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, have voiced support for Hizbollah, the militant Shi'ite group that is the main target of Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
The democratic rise of Islamist leaders from Iraq's Shi'ite majority oppressed under Saddam Hussein, has created delicate diplomatic problems for the United States, particularly in view of those leaders' links to Shi'ite Iran, Washington's most powerful enemy in the region and a supporter of Hizbollah.
As elsewhere in the Middle East, criticism of Israel, the United States' closest ally there, is also widespread in Iraq.
The speaker of parliament, a Sunni, accused "Jewish Israeli Zionists" this week of fomenting sectarian unrest in Iraq to thwart efforts by Sunnis and Shi'ites to build an Islamic state.
Washington has taken a dim view of Mahmoud al-Mashhadani's comments. A person speaking in Baghdad on Saturday on condition of being quoted only as a Western diplomat told reporters: "It is a shame that the speaker of parliament would make comments like that. It doesn't show responsibility...
"These comments are not representative of the government."
Reuters
So it's not just Syria and Iran, it's the Saudis to. They are playing their cards and trying to avert an all out civil war between Sunni and Shi'a throughout the middle east. They are turning to their best card in the deck, the Jews. And they are winning at this point.
In a rare public foray into affairs beyond Iraq's borders, the premier's office said in a statement: "Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki denounces the Israeli raids on Lebanon and warns of the consequences of escalation in the region.
"The prime minister calls on Arab foreign ministers to meet to take a clear stand that condemns the criminal acts in Lebanon and Gaza and affirms this assault will make Lebanon's people more united and cohesive in the face of the Israeli challenge."
Arab foreign ministers held an emergency meeting in Cairo on Saturday to discuss ways to end Israeli attacks.
The Iraqi government, installed two months ago in a U.S.-sponsored electoral process, has focused its foreign policy on mending frosty relations with its neighbours, partly to improve security by hindering foreign aid to guerrilla groups.
Other Arabs have been suspicious of Iraq's new rulers, partly because of the dominant U.S. military role in Baghdad. Maliki has been at pains recently to demonstrate independence and to improve ties with the mostly Sunni Muslim Arab leaders.
Some of his fellow Shi'ite Islamists in the coalition government, notably followers of radical young cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, have voiced support for Hizbollah, the militant Shi'ite group that is the main target of Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
The democratic rise of Islamist leaders from Iraq's Shi'ite majority oppressed under Saddam Hussein, has created delicate diplomatic problems for the United States, particularly in view of those leaders' links to Shi'ite Iran, Washington's most powerful enemy in the region and a supporter of Hizbollah.
As elsewhere in the Middle East, criticism of Israel, the United States' closest ally there, is also widespread in Iraq.
The speaker of parliament, a Sunni, accused "Jewish Israeli Zionists" this week of fomenting sectarian unrest in Iraq to thwart efforts by Sunnis and Shi'ites to build an Islamic state.
Washington has taken a dim view of Mahmoud al-Mashhadani's comments. A person speaking in Baghdad on Saturday on condition of being quoted only as a Western diplomat told reporters: "It is a shame that the speaker of parliament would make comments like that. It doesn't show responsibility...
"These comments are not representative of the government."
Reuters
So it's not just Syria and Iran, it's the Saudis to. They are playing their cards and trying to avert an all out civil war between Sunni and Shi'a throughout the middle east. They are turning to their best card in the deck, the Jews. And they are winning at this point.
posted by madtom at 8:02 PM
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