United States President George Bush was under pressure from some of his closest allies on Monday to turn to arch-enemies Iran and Syria for help in stabilising Iraq amid Iraqi government paralysis and fears of all-out civil war.
A suicide bomb that killed 11 Iraqis on a minibus and news that at least nine US and British troops died in the previous two days kept the pressure on Bush as he met the bipartisan Iraq Study Group on Monday to talk about changes in Iraq policy.
Monday’s violence, which also underlined Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s problems trying to curb the bloodshed, followed attacks that killed more than 100 people on Sunday, including a suicide attack on police recruits that killed 35 in Baghdad.
Bush has said he is looking for “fresh perspectives” on Iraq after his Republican party received a drubbing in last week’s mid-term elections, losing control of both houses of Congress.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair will call on Monday for Syria and Iran to be engaged in efforts to stem violence in Iraq and to secure a broader Middle East peace settlement.
Blair will argue the need for a Middle East strategy that includes making clear to Damascus and Tehran how they can help in the region while warning them of the consequences of hindering peace, a spokesperson said.
His comments, to be made in an annual foreign-policy speech, will show his willingness to work with Syria and Iran on Iraq — an idea so far spurned by Bush, who is fiercely critical of both countries and has accused them of fomenting violence in Iraq.
Prime Minister John Howard of Australia, another of Bush’s loyal backers in Iraq, also said on Monday talks should be held with Syria and Iran on ending the violence in Iraq.
Quite how far Tehran or Damascus is motivated to step into the turmoil of Iraq to aid Washington is unclear.
Reshuffle
Under pressure to avert civil war and facing criticism his government is paralysed by infighting, al-Maliki on Sunday told a Parliament crackling with sectarian tension that he will fire a host of under-performing ministers.
Al-Maliki has talked of reshuffles in the past but Sunday’s move appeared to be his most determined effort yet to shake up a government formed six months ago after months of horse-trading between Shi’ites, Sunni Arabs, ethnic Kurds and other groups.
Al-Maliki, a Shi’ite, has been under pressure from US officials to show progress in curbing violence, particularly by Shi’ite militias linked to some of his political allies.
He has said he will not necessarily stick to “quotas” of Cabinet posts according to parties’ strength in Parliament but will appoint those competent for their tasks — something Iraq badly needs, with its economy still in a morass despite high oil prices and its ministries accused of rampant corruption.
Alaa Meki of the Iraqi Islamic Party, part of a bloc of Sunni parties in the government, said the defence and interior ministry portfolios are the crucial issue and called for “real and tangible” action from Maliki against militias.
Hasan al-Shimmari, an MP from the Fadhila Party, a Shi’ite group, said he expects to see six to nine ministers changed. “There is still no official timeframe but I think by bringing this up now clearly and publicly it will be soon, and we hope it will be before the end of this year.”
Sunnis, dominant under Saddam Hussein, have threatened to quit the government if they are not given a bigger role.
‘Meddling’
White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten on Sunday accused Iran and Syria of “meddling in Iraq in a very unhelpful way”.
Asked if Washington would consider convening talks to include Syria and Iran, he told CNN: “Nothing is off the table,” but said the main priority is to support the Iraqi government.
Al-Maliki has accused Iraq’s neighbours of being unhelpful, and Sunni Arabs are particularly nervous about any perceived influence from Shi’ite non-Arab Iran.
US General John Abizaid, the head of the US Central Command, met al-Maliki on Monday to discuss security. “The influence of neighbouring states on security in Iraq was also discussed during the meeting,” Maliki’s office said.
The US military announced on Monday two more US soldiers were killed on Sunday in Iraq. That followed news on Sunday of three other US deaths and four British troops killed, keeping pressure on Bush and Blair to start withdrawing forces.
Carl Levin, the Democrat tipped to chair the Senate’s armed services committee, said on Sunday: “We need to begin a phased redeployment of forces from Iraq in four to six months.” — Reuters
Additional reporting by Mussab al-Kharailla, Alastair Macdonald in Baghdad, and by London and Washington bureaux