Iraq's prime minister shares 'common vision' with President Bush, spokesman says

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) _ The Iraqi prime minister's office on Saturday expressed support for President Bush's new war strategy but stressed the government would maintain control over military action

Saturday, January 13th 2007, 6:56 am

By: News On 6

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) _ The Iraqi prime minister's office on Saturday expressed support for President Bush's new war strategy but stressed the government would maintain control over military action in Baghdad.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has remained quiet about the strategy, which was unveiled on Thursday, amid questions about his commitment to confronting Shiite militias that have been blamed in much of the sectarian violence.

But his spokesman said the Shiite leader sees Bush's plan to send 21,500 more U.S. troops to Iraq as representing ``a common vision and a mutual understanding between the Iraqi government and the American administration.''

The American forces would be working in support of the Iraqis as they implement al-Maliki's security plan to restore peace in Baghdad, spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said.

``This plan is being backed by the multinational forces,'' he said.

``The Iraqi government affirms that security and stability in Iraq is a strategic necessity to the people of the region and the world since terrorism is a threat to everyone,'' he added.

While al-Maliki has not commented publicly on the Bush plan, he said last Saturday that he would fight against ``safe haven for any outlaws, regardless of (their) sectarian or political affiliation.''

Those comments, which came as he announced a security plan for Baghdad, echoed remarks he made in October _ before ordering U.S. forces to pull back from attacks on Sadr City, headquarters of the Mahdi Army. The violent Shiite militia is headed by his key political backer, radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Shortly after Bush's speech on Thursday, al-Dabbagh said the new U.S. strategy has ``positive points'' but asserted Baghdad's right to demand changes.

``We will tell the American administration to amend any point that we feel is not suitable,'' he told reporters then.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who opposes Bush's plans to send more U.S. troops, arrived in Iraq Saturday on her first trip to the country since February 2005.

The Democrat from New York, who is considering running for president in 2008, was traveling with Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and Rep. John McHugh, a Republican from upstate New York. They also planned to travel to Afghanistan.

The three, all members of armed services committees, were to meet with top Iraqi officials and U.S. military commanders. The visit comes as Democratic leaders in the House and Senate plan to hold symbolic votes in coming days to demonstrate the extent of opposition to Bush's troop increase.

Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Friday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the effectiveness of the increase in troops depends heavily on the Iraqis and that Bush has made it clear to them additional U.S. support is not open-ended.

Underscoring the difficulties in taming the capital, a sniper killed a policeman walking on a street in the commercial district of Karradah in central Baghdad, while a parked car bomb struck a mixed neighborhood in a western neighborhood, wounding three civilians.

At least five people also were killed in attacks in northern Iraq, including two Iraqi contractors who were checking a bridge in Kirkuk and a Shiite grocery store owner who was shot to death while sitting in his shop.

Al-Maliki, who outlined an Iraqi-led security plan to Bush when they met in Amman, Jordan, in November, has increasingly argued for Americans to pull out of cities and leave security to the Iraqi Army, which is 80 percent Shiite. The Americans would respond only when needed.

An Iraqi general told The Associated Press earlier this week that the army intended to put nine brigades on the streets of Baghdad, or a total of about 27,000 men.

The force would be commanded by a Shiite, Lt. Gen. Aboud Gambar, who was taken prisoner of war by U.S. forces during the 1991 Gulf war and will report directly to al-Maliki.

The military officer, who spoke anonymously because the information was not yet public, said for the most part the Iraqi force would not be directed against the Shiite militias. The majority of fighting against the Mahdi Army in Sadr city would be left to the Americans in tandem with the Iraqi Special Operations Command, which is made up of many non-Arab Kurds as well as Sunni and Shiite Arabs.