Iraqi anger over US lawmaker's comments
Source: Agencies |
June 13, 2011, Monday
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THE suggestion by a US congressman that Iraq repay the United States for the money it has spent in the country has stirred anger, with an Iraqi lawmaker ridiculing the idea as "stupid" and others saying Iraqis should be compensated for the hardships they've endured.
US House Representative Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican from California, suggested during a trip to Baghdad with fellow lawmakers last Friday that once Iraq becomes a rich and prosperous country, it could repay the US.
That comment triggered outrage among an Iraqi public and political establishment that had little or no say in the US-led invasion of 2003.
Iraqis are largely glad to be rid of Saddam Hussein but blame the US for the chaos and sectarian violence that followed the invasion.
"We as a government reject such statements, and we have informed the American embassy that these congressmen are not welcome in Iraq," said government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh yesterday.
Al-Dabbagh said the government was also upset by comments from the six-member congressional delegation about an Iranian opposition group based in Iraq.
The American lawmakers came to Iraq to investigate the deaths of 34 members of the People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran during an April 8 Iraqi army raid on the group's headquarters, known as Camp Ashraf.
The Iranian exiles were given refuge by Saddam, but have since become an irritant to Iraq's Shiite-led government, which has ties to Shiite power Iran and would like to see the group gone.
The blowup comes at a particularly sensitive time in the US-Iraq relationship. Iraq is weighing whether to ask US troops to stay in the country longer.
US House Representative Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican from California, suggested during a trip to Baghdad with fellow lawmakers last Friday that once Iraq becomes a rich and prosperous country, it could repay the US.
That comment triggered outrage among an Iraqi public and political establishment that had little or no say in the US-led invasion of 2003.
Iraqis are largely glad to be rid of Saddam Hussein but blame the US for the chaos and sectarian violence that followed the invasion.
"We as a government reject such statements, and we have informed the American embassy that these congressmen are not welcome in Iraq," said government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh yesterday.
Al-Dabbagh said the government was also upset by comments from the six-member congressional delegation about an Iranian opposition group based in Iraq.
The American lawmakers came to Iraq to investigate the deaths of 34 members of the People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran during an April 8 Iraqi army raid on the group's headquarters, known as Camp Ashraf.
The Iranian exiles were given refuge by Saddam, but have since become an irritant to Iraq's Shiite-led government, which has ties to Shiite power Iran and would like to see the group gone.
The blowup comes at a particularly sensitive time in the US-Iraq relationship. Iraq is weighing whether to ask US troops to stay in the country longer.
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