Aide: Iraqi PM's Comments Misconstrued (AP)

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Aide: Iraqi PM's Comments Misconstrued
By ROBERT H. REID
Associated Press Writer

July 15, 2007, 3:24 PM EDT

BAGHDAD -- Iraq's prime minister was misunderstood when he
said the Americans could leave "any time they want" an aide
said Sunday, as politicians moved to end a pair of boycotts
that are holding up work on crucial political reforms sought
by Washington.

-snip-

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told reporters Saturday that
the Iraqi army and police were capable of maintaining
security when American troops leave.

-snip-

Those comments appeared to undercut President Bush's
contention that the 155,000 U.S. troops must remain in Iraq
because the Iraqis are not capable of providing for their own
security.

On Sunday, al-Maliki's adviser Yassin Majid told The Associated
Press that the prime minister meant that efforts to bolster
Iraq's security forces would continue "side-by-side with the
withdrawal."

-snip-

Read more: http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/sns-ap-iraq,0,2789634.story