No place for terrorists in new Iraq, says Al Maliki

Sydney, Australia: Iraq will not be a staging ground or a way station for terrorists after combat troops from the US-led coalition withdraw, the Iraqi prime minister said on Friday, insisting the country is united against terrorism.

Nouri Al Maliki, who is on a four-day visit to Australia, said militias and sectarianism had no place in the new Iraq, where citizens for the first time have a constitution that protects their human rights and parliamentary elections in January were run on political platforms rather than ethnic or religious affiliations.

The US military announced last Sunday that 12,000 American and 4,000 British troops will leave Iraq by September.

That withdrawal is part of President Barack Obama's plan to remove all combat troops by the end of August 2010, with the remaining forces leaving by the end of 2011.

The 4,000 British troops due to leave are the last British soldiers in Iraq.