Clinton Assures Iraq that U.S. Won’t Abandon the Country

Trying to reassure Iraqi officials who are nervous about the planned U.S. withdrawal to the unstable country, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton indicated that the U.S. has no plans to abandon them, though she did remain thoroughly committed to the U.S. plan to withdraw U.S. soldiers from urban areas by June 30, and to remove combat troops by 2011. Speaking to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Clinton noted, "Our strategy in working with you may be in a new phase, but we pledge our full and continuing commitment to Iraq and the Iraqi people. As we draw down militarily we will deepen our civilian cooperation."

Zebari was reassured by the message delivered by Clinton, noting that it was "a very assuring message that the United States would continue to support the efforts of the Iraqi government and the enhancement of Iraqi security and stability." Amidst the reassurances and ongoing discussion on the matter, suicide bombings that have occurred recently in Baghdad cast a cloud over joint U.S.-Iraqi operations in the region.

The bombings killed over 150 people and injured many more. Clinton spoke out against the attacks, saying, "I condemn these violent recent efforts to disrupt the progress that Iraq is making." Clinton also noted that the attacks, "do not reflect any diversion from the security progress that has been made." In the wake of the attacks, a bit of back and forth has developed between Iranian leaders and Clinton. Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei noted: "Dirty hands and evil brains that founded this blind and uncontrolled terrorism in Iraq should know that the fire will burn themselves." Clinton countered that those claims were disappointing, especially given that the attacks were traced directly to al-Qaida and some other groups that have the specific goal of halting progress in Iraq.