NAJAF, Iraq - Followers of Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr took to the streets on Friday after prayers to condemn a visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and demand U.S. forces leave the country.
| Easy Sport, criticizing Biden is our job... |
| Besides, the Americans are the only force capable of keeping the Iranians down to a dull roar. Iraqis may want us to leave, but they certainly don't want us actually gone. |
Around 2,000 supporters of the fiery anti-American cleric demonstrated in the town of Kufa, chanting anti-U.S. slogans a day after Biden paid his first visit to Iraq since Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was reappointed.
"In our protest, we demand that visits like Biden's to Iraq should not be repeated and that the occupier leaves," said Mohammed Abbas, 25, a day labourer.
Biden visited Iraq on Thursday for talks with Iraqi officials, his seventh visit since January 2009. Iraqi officials said he and Maliki did not discuss keeping any U.S. troops in Iraq beyond the withdrawal deadline. |