Hello, John Murtha!
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh urged the US and Britain to not “cut and run” on the country now that things are unstable:
Iraq’s military aims to police half of the country within a year, but international forces must not leave while the situation is still unstable, Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh said on Monday.
“I do believe there is no option for the international community to cut and run,” Saleh told reporters after meeting British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
“We understand that this cannot be an open-ended commitment,” Saleh said, but added, “For some time to come we will need the support of the international community.”
Blair had reportedly told Saleh had Britain intends “to hold its nerve” in Iraq.
Defence Secretary Des Browne said Sunday he believed the coalition in southern Iraq was “quite far down the process of transferring responsibility to the Iraqis.”
