Iraqi PM: 400 Shiite Fighters Detained

Jan 18, 8:38 AM (ET)

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said 400 fighters from a key backer of the Shiite-led government have been arrested, and a government spokesman said Thursday the U.S. is not giving Iraqi security forces enough money for training and equipment. Al-Maliki's claim sought to address doubts about his willingness to take on the Shiite militiamen, especially the Mahdi army that is loyal to his key supporter, the radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Many of the militiamen are believed responsible for much of the sectarian violence in Baghdad in the past year.

In Baghdad on Thursday, bombers and gunmen killed at least 19 more people in a series of morning attacks as the capital faces a surge in violence ahead of a planned U.S.-Iraqi security crackdown.

The Italian daily Corriere della Sera reported that al-Maliki was deeply critical of President Bush during a briefing with a small group of reporters.

"The situation would be much better if the United States had immediately sent our security forces more adequate weapons and equipment. If they had committed themselves more and with greater speed we would have had a lot fewer deaths among Iraqi civilians and American soldiers," the newspaper quoted al-Maliki as saying.

However, the premier stopped short of openly criticizing Bush's plan to send 21,500 more troops to join the estimated 130,000 already there.

"We have to see how the situation in the field will go," he said. "We cannot rule out that the situation will drastically improve, allowing U.S. troops to leave the country in great numbers in three to six months."

The newspaper quoted the embattled Iraqi leader as saying Bush had capitulated to domestic pressure when he criticized the hanging of former leader Saddam Hussein. Al-Maliki further struck back at comments by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that suggested he was in a weak position and on borrowed time.

He said such remarks were giving aid and comfort to militants fighting to drive out U.S. troops and unseat his government.

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the Iraqi military budget this year is $8 billion, but it needs more for proper training, recruiting and equipment.

"We feel Iraqi needs for equipment (are) more than that money," he said, speaking in English. "We are expecting also assistance and help from the multinational forces in order to have proper training and manning as well as arming the Iraqi force."

Al-Dabbagh also said coalition troops could start withdrawing from Iraq by the end of the year as more security control is handed over to the Iraqis.

"We can say in 2007 the Iraqis will have more control on the troops, and the decision will be Iraqi, and this will entitle (us) to reduce the multinational force," he said.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)