Rice on Iraq's importance to Mideast transformation
Iraq-USA, Politics, 11/7/2006

Iraq is a key front in combating terrorism, and failure to establish a stable, democratic system there would have dire consequences, says US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

"Al-Qaida understands it is a part of the global War on Terror. The Iranians understand that it's a part of the global War on Terror. And we really have to recognize what the very, very dire circumstances would be, what the implications would be if we fail to finish the job in Iraq," she had said in a radio interview November 2.

"I think that what has been hard to keep a focus on, given the difficulties in Iraq, is the central role that Iraq plays in a changed Middle East," she said. "The first point is we need a changed Middle East. This is a Middle East that, after all, produced the ideology of hatred that produced al-Qaida that produced September 11th. And Iraq is a centerpiece of that. It's a critical state."

Rice said al-Qaida's goal is to gain a foothold in Iraq from which it can establish a global Taliban-style caliphate, which is why "we have no choice but to make certain that we have left the foundation for an Iraq that can be stable and that can have a foundation for democracy."

The secretary said Iraq is making progress as its political system matures and its leaders assume greater responsibility for the country's security. In particular, she pointed to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's call for additional security forces as an encouraging sign. "[I]t's a positive thing when he comes to us and says I need more security forces, we've got to end this violence," she said. "That means that we've got to train Iraqi security forces more quickly and in greater number so that they can take more responsibility as Iraqi leaders are saying they want to do."

She added that Iraq's leaders must make some difficult but critical decisions regarding the distribution of oil revenues, the treatment of former Baathists and the disbanding of militias.

Rice said the fight against extremism is "the struggle of our times," and added that she remains optimistic about the outcome. "I really don't believe that their hateful and dark ideology is going to win over human beings if they have other choices," she said.

Meantime today, the US Department Of State Sean McCormack spokesman denied reports that US ambassador to Iraq Khalilzad is leabing, saying he" is doing a great job on behalf of her, as well as the President, in Iraq. It's tough circumstances and he has no immediate plans to go anywhere. He has a lot on his plate. The President and the Secretary have a lot for him -- a lot left for him to do there in Iraq and I don't think he has any immediate plans to leave."

Previous Stories:
  White house denies differences with Iraqi PM   (10/31/2006)
  Bush: Success in Iraq will depend on the Iraqis' ability   (10/23/2006)
  Over 650,000 Iraqi death rate estimates defended by researchers   (10/23/2006)

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