[A-List] Iraq: the quagmire deepens

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

American combat fatalities approach 1000
MARIAM FAM
The Herald, December 08 2004

A top Iraqi official yesterday accused the country's neighbours of doing too
little to keep foreigners from joining the ranks of insurgents in the
country as the US combat toll in the country approached 1000.

One American soldier was killed in Baghdad yesterday; another died in a
vehicle accident in western Iraq; and four Iraqi National Guardsmen and
police were killed.

In a speech to the Iraqi National Council, Barham Saleh, the deputy prime
minister, said he was losing patience with Iraq's neighbours.

He did not single out any governments, but noted Iraqi police had arrested a
Syrian citizen driving a car bomb packed with artillery shells and other
explosives.
"There is evidence indicating that some groups in some neighbouring
countries are playing a direct role in the killing of the Iraqi people and
such a thing is not acceptable to us," Saleh said.

"In my opinion, we have reached a stage in which if we do not see a real
response from those countries, then we are obliged to take a decisive
stance."

Saleh went no further, but Iraqi leaders have repeatedly called on their
neighbours - particularly Syria and Iran - to guard their borders.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, said he "cannot imagine"
how elections can be held by January 30 with Iraq in its current state.

The Bush administration has said it plans to stick to the election date
despite the violence and a call for postponement by several leading groups
of Sunni Arab Muslims.

The Iraqi government and the country's majority Shi'ite Muslims, expected to
gain wide power in the vote, also approve.

Several foreign leaders have expressed doubts about the vote. With Ayad
Allawi, Iraq's interim prime minister, looking on, Putin expressed his
concerns.

"Honestly speaking, I cannot imagine how it is possible to organise
elections under the conditions of occupation by foreign forces," the
ITAR-Tass news agency quoted Putin as saying.

"At the same time, I don't understand how you alone can remedy the situation
in the country and prevent its disintegration."

Elsewhere, the US military said American troops had captured 34 Iraqis,
including 10 wanted for making explosive devices to attack coalition forces.

The military announced that another 14 people suspected of making roadside
bombs and car bombs were arrested on Monday.-AP