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Cheney visits US troops near Tikrit
BAGHDAD - US Vice President Dick Cheney told American soldiers at a base near Saddam Husseins home town on Thursday that militants had made Iraq the frontline in the war on terrorism. Cheney spent the night at Camp Speicher near Tikrit.On Thursday Cheney directed his comments more towards militant groups like Sunni Islamist Al Qaeda, which US and Iraqi officials accuse of trying to ignite sectarian unrest with car bomb attacks against mainly Shia civilian targets. Were fighting a war against terror, Cheney said in prepared remarks to troops, before later flying to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. We are here, above all, because the terrorists who have declared war on America and other free nations have made Iraq the central front in that war. His unannounced visit to Iraq, part of a Middle East tour, signalled growing US impatience at Iraqs slowness in passing laws on oil distribution and other key measures as US military commanders build up troops to secure Baghdad. But in a positive sign, the office of Iraqs Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi said the senior Sunni leader had been comforted by recent meetings with political leaders aimed at addressing Sunni Arab concerns. Hashemi and other senior figures from Iraqs largest Sunni Arab bloc had warned they might quit the government of Shia Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki if their grievances were ignored. On Wednesday, Cheney held round table talks with Hashemi, Maliki and President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd. Vice-President Tareq al-Hashemi was comforted by the results of recent meetings with political officials that witnessed intense political movement, a statement from his office said without elaborating on what that movement was. (Hashemi) described it as a step in the right direction, even though there is still a long way to go to resolve all the differences. Posted by: Steve White 2007-05-11 |
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