US says Arab states have few excuses to deny support to Iraq

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

MANAMA, Bahrain - Citing an overall improvement in the level of violence in Iraq, the United States was encouraging Iraq's Arab neighbors to back statements of support for Baghdad with money and political capital.

Iraq sent its foreign minister to a gathering of Persian Gulf states here Monday, where Iraq and its U.S. backers planned to make a case for further debt relief and symbolic steps, such as visits to Baghdad by Arab diplomats. No Arab state has a permanent embassy there.

A larger gathering of Arab states and Iraq's international backers is planned for Tuesday in Kuwait. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, flying to Kuwait on Monday, told The Associated Press that he would speak frankly to Arab diplomats.

"There are countries that support the political process and are opening embassies here," he said, a reference to unfulfilled pledges from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. "We need the others to open embassies here, too. There are some nations that don't recognize our political process and ... are inciting strife," he continued. "I am bewildered by the position of these nations."



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080421/ap_on_re_mi_ea/rice;_ylt=AjpTJ.DptdGkbfOqKdEJ2L8LewgF

[no_hypocrisy]

1. OK, I'll start the list.

The so-called country of Iraq is not a sovereign nation. It is occupied by a military entity controlled by the government of the United States. It is not independent in any way. It cannot make treaties that contradict or contravene any U.S. policy. It cannot challenge this Adminstration in any way. If Iraq chose to close the new U.S. Embassy and kick out our "diplomats", it couldn't.

That's why the "Arab" countries won't offer "support".