Talabani Criticizes Study on Iraq - washingtonpost.com
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani today harshly criticized the Iraq Study Group report, saying it contained "dangerous" recommendations that would "undermine the sovereignty of Iraq and the constitution."
Talabani was particularly critical of the 96-page report's recommendations for more centralized control of Iraq's oil wealth, embedding thousands of U.S. troops with Iraq's security forces to advise and speed up their training and legislation to allow thousands of people from Saddam Hussein's ousted Baath party to return to their jobs, according to news reports.
"I think that the report is unjust and unfair and contains some dangerous articles which reduce the sovereignty of Iraq and its constitution, and it is against the long struggle of the Iraqi people against dictatorship," Talabani said, according to a Washington Post translation of a statement provided by his office. Talabani made his comments in a meeting with reporters.
He said Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki should control the county's security forces without requiring U.S. authorization.
"What will be left of the Iraqi sovereignty if the Iraqi army becomes a tool in the hand of foreign officers who came form abroad?" Talabani said.
Talabani also said the report gives the impression its authors believe Iraq is a "colony" to be dealt "as they will."
The Iraqi president said would make an official visit to Syria, but did not specify when.
The bipartisan Iraq Study Group report, released last week, urged the United States and Iraq to engage in talks with Iraq's neighbors to try to find ways to end the sectarian violence. The report made numerous recommendations to President Bush for changes in U.S. strategy and polices to attempt to reverse the growing sectarian violence and chaos in Iraq and to start drawing down American troops.
Talabani, a Kurd, is one of a growing number of Kurdish leaders who slammed the report. Late last week, some Kurdish leaders attacked the report of the bipartisan study group, led by former Republican secretary of state James A. Baker III and former House member Lee H. Hamilton (D-Ind.), particularly because the report suggested giving the Iraqi central government control over all oil revenue. The report also recommended delaying beyond next year a referendum in Kirkuk on whether the oil-rich northern city should join Iraq's Kurdistan region, a move that would strengthen Kurdish autonomy.
Mahmoud Othman, an influential Kurdish legislator called the report "negative" and said it would interfere with Iraqi sovereignty.
"I never thought such a negative thing would come out from U.S. consensus. Kurds have been friendly for Americans. Why we should be rewarded like that?" he said.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani today harshly criticized the Iraq Study Group report, saying it contained "dangerous" recommendations that would "undermine the sovereignty of Iraq and the constitution."
Talabani was particularly critical of the 96-page report's recommendations for more centralized control of Iraq's oil wealth, embedding thousands of U.S. troops with Iraq's security forces to advise and speed up their training and legislation to allow thousands of people from Saddam Hussein's ousted Baath party to return to their jobs, according to news reports.
"I think that the report is unjust and unfair and contains some dangerous articles which reduce the sovereignty of Iraq and its constitution, and it is against the long struggle of the Iraqi people against dictatorship," Talabani said, according to a Washington Post translation of a statement provided by his office. Talabani made his comments in a meeting with reporters.
He said Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki should control the county's security forces without requiring U.S. authorization.
"What will be left of the Iraqi sovereignty if the Iraqi army becomes a tool in the hand of foreign officers who came form abroad?" Talabani said.
Talabani also said the report gives the impression its authors believe Iraq is a "colony" to be dealt "as they will."
The Iraqi president said would make an official visit to Syria, but did not specify when.
The bipartisan Iraq Study Group report, released last week, urged the United States and Iraq to engage in talks with Iraq's neighbors to try to find ways to end the sectarian violence. The report made numerous recommendations to President Bush for changes in U.S. strategy and polices to attempt to reverse the growing sectarian violence and chaos in Iraq and to start drawing down American troops.
Talabani, a Kurd, is one of a growing number of Kurdish leaders who slammed the report. Late last week, some Kurdish leaders attacked the report of the bipartisan study group, led by former Republican secretary of state James A. Baker III and former House member Lee H. Hamilton (D-Ind.), particularly because the report suggested giving the Iraqi central government control over all oil revenue. The report also recommended delaying beyond next year a referendum in Kirkuk on whether the oil-rich northern city should join Iraq's Kurdistan region, a move that would strengthen Kurdish autonomy.
Mahmoud Othman, an influential Kurdish legislator called the report "negative" and said it would interfere with Iraqi sovereignty.
"I never thought such a negative thing would come out from U.S. consensus. Kurds have been friendly for Americans. Why we should be rewarded like that?" he said.
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