Iraqi leaders warn of catastrophe if US goes

IRAQ: Spooked by a sudden increase in calls in Washington for a rapid withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Iraqi leaders on Monday scrambled to warn of catastrophe if their forces are left alone.

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari led the charge, warning US lawmakers that their calls for a timetable for the departure of the 155,000 American troops could lead to the collapse of the Iraqi state and to yet more bloodshed.

“We held discussions with congressional delegations and explained to them the dangers of a rapid withdrawal, which would leave a security vacuum. It might lead to civil war, partition, collapse or a regional war,” he said.

“There are some people who disagree with this assessment, but it’s the responsibility of the United States and other countries to stand with the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people,” he insisted.

While leaders from the Iraq’s rival Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish camps disagree bitterly about many of the issues fuelling the conflict, most are clear on one thing: The Iraqi security forces are not ready to fight on alone.

Most begin their responses to the question of the troops’ US presence with an obligatory nod to Iraqi national pride; no-one here wants the “occupier” to stay on forever. Nevertheless, it’s far too soon for them to leave.

“Most of those in the Iraqi House of Representatives would like to see the presence of the US forces over for good,” said Amira al-Baldawi, a Shiite member of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s ruling coalition.

“Everybody wishes them to leave, even the US forces themselves, but this initiative would be catastrophic if carried out before Iraq manages to set up its security forces,” she told AFP

“We need some time to complete our army. Gradual and programmed withdrawal is very important,” she insisted.

On the other side of the sectarian divide, leading Sunni lawmaker Nasser al-Ani, was in agreement with his Shiite colleague.

Meanwhile the White House refused to bend to mounting calls for Iraq troop withdrawals, despite a new Democratic assault over the war and an accelerating Republican rebellion.

President George W. Bush’s spokesman said a report that the administration was engaged in an intense internal debate over a gradual withdrawal from Iraqi cities was “way ahead of the facts.”

But the White House faced a new showdown over the war, as lawmakers returned to Washington after a week-long break, which saw fraying Republican support for Bush’s troops surge strategy and more US combat deaths.

Spokesman Tony Snow said Bush had repeatedly said troop withdrawals were a goal and conditional on the situation in Iraq.

“But the idea of trying to make a political judgement rather than a military judgement about how to have forces in the field is simply not true,” Snow said.

The New York Times earlier reported top officials were discussing whether Bush should announce a gradual withdrawal from Iraq’s cities.

Democrats were poised to make things even more uncomfortable with Bush later by launching a two-week Senate debate on a defense policy bill, intended to force Republicans into politically dicey votes on the war.

Baghdad, Washington, Tuesday, AFP