Rice: Iraqis have framework to deal with militias

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the Iraqi people, for the first time, have a framework to control sectarian militias through a permanent government and permanent armed forces and police forces that function on behalf of the nation.

Rice made that comment in reference to the selection of Jawad al-Maliki as Iraq's prime minister-designate to head a permanent government.

"For the first time the Iraqis actually have a framework in which to deal with those militias; that is, a permanent government, permanent armed forces and police forces, and opportunity to get a ministry of interior that will not be sectarian in its orientation but national in its orientation," Rice said yesterday, briefing reporters en route to Greece. The trip also will include stops in Turkey and Bulgaria.

Rice described al-Maliki as the strongest Iraqi political figure to emerge since the liberation of the country because al-Maliki has the support of the Iraqi people and the unified leadership and a "mandate to form a unified national unity government."

The secretary said the United States aggressively will provide training for Iraqi national military and police forces so that militias become unnecessary and people who have been carrying arms can demobilize and integrate.

She said the next hurdle facing Iraqi leaders is finding ministers of defense and interior in whom the people have confidence.