Jafaari refuses to schedule US withdrawal from Iraq
Iraq-USA, Politics, 7/13/2005

Iraq's prime minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari refused to specify a schedule for a complete withdrawal for the coalition forces led by the USA from Iraq at the meantime.

In a press conference following talks with the US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick in Baghdad, he considered that the withdrawal of these forces without Iraq's completion of its security and military abilities will expose the country to destruction and undermine the democratic operation.

Jaafari stressed that the withdrawal decision will be an Iraqi one rather than a special schedule that pertains to the countries which have forces in Iraq.

He also indicated the possibility of starting the withdrawal of the coalition forces from Iraqi cities as security is handed over to the Iraqi forces and the re-deployment of the foreign forces in areas outside these cities, in a preliminary measure to draw a schedule for complete withdrawal for these forces to outside the Iraqi lands.

Jaafari's statements came after the leaking of a British-American plan for partial withdrawal of their forces from Iraq next year. According to the plan 14 Iraqi governorates out of 18 will be handed over for the Iraqi security forces and foreign forces will be reduced from 176,000 at the meantime to 66,000 in 2006.

Previous Stories:
  Sunday Times: Allawi: Iraq may be on verge of civil war   (7/11/2005)
  Mail On Sunday: USA, Britain to withdraw more forces from Iraq   (7/11/2005)
  Iraq' ambassador accuses US Marines of intentionaly killing his cousin   (7/2/2005)
  Contacts between Americans and representatives for the gunmen in Iraq   (7/2/2005)

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