Region | Iraq
Al Maliki backs Obama exit plan for US troops
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki told a German magazine he supported US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's proposal that US troops should leave Iraq within 16 months.
- Reuters
- Published: 21:38 July 19, 2008
Berlin: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki told a German magazine he supported US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's proposal that US troops should leave Iraq within 16 months.
In an interview with Der Spiegel released on Saturday, Al Maliki said he wanted US troops to withdraw as soon as possible.
"US presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."
It is the first time he has backed the timetable put forward by Obama, who is visiting Afghanistan and is set to go to Iraq as part of a tour of the Middle East and Europe.
Obama has called for a shift away from a "single-minded" focus on Iraq and wants to rather add US soldiers to Afghanistan.
Asked if he supported Obama's ideas more than those of John McCain, Republican presidential hopeful, Al Maliki said he did not want to recommend who people should vote for.
"Whoever is thinking about the shorter term is closer to reality. Artificially extending the stay of US troops would cause problems."
Al Maliki, who is due to visit Germany this week, has suggested a timetable should be set for a US withdrawal but US officials have been more cautious, despite an improving security situation.
The White House said on Friday President George W. Bush and Al Maliki had agreed that a security deal under negotiation should set a "time horizon" for meeting "aspirational goals" for reducing US forces in Iraq.
There are some 146,000 US soldiers in Iraq.
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