BERLIN Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says U.S. troops should leave Iraq “in the manner that soon as possible,” according to a warehouse circulate publicly, and he called presidential candidate Barack Obama’s suggestion of 16 months “the right timeframe for a exit.”

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In Baghdad, however, the chief prolocutor for al-Maliki issued a account Sunday saying the prime minister’s comments were “not conveyed accurately” by Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine.

Spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said al-Maliki did not endorse a especial timetable moreover instead discussed a “an Iraqi vision” of U.S. troop withdrawals based on negotiations with Washington and “and in the insight of the continuing sure developments without ceasing the base.”

The Der Spiegel article, released Saturday, quoted al-Maliki as giving apparent backing to the withdrawing plans discussed by Obama - the Illinois senator and likely Democratic nominee has pledged to withdraw combat armed force from Iraq within 16 months if he is elected.

“That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes,” al-Maliki was quoted as saw. “Those who work on the premise of short time periods in Iraq today are being more realistic. Artificially prolonging the tenure of U.S. troops in Iraq would cause problems.”

Asked when U.S. forces would allowance Iraq, he responded, “As soon for the reason that possible, as far a we’re concerned.”

In the interview, al-Maliki said he was not seeking to endorse Obama.

Sadiq al-Rikabi, an adviser to al-Maliki, said later that Iraqi officials do not intend to be “part of the electoral campaign in the United States.”

“We demise deal with in any degree administration that comes to power,” he reported.

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Saturday: “In the interview, the Prime Minister made clear that any decision will be based on continuing over-confident developments - as he and the president the one and the other did in their joint statement yesterday. It is our shared view that should the novel certainty gains continue, we command be able to meet our joint aspirational time horizons.”

On Friday, the White House announced that President Bush and al-Maliki had agreed to set a “general time horizon” for bringing more U.S. troops home from the war.

Obama’s Republican presidential rival, John McCain, has supported Bush administration policy opposing a appointed timetable for captivating troops out of Iraq.


Original text: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008061277_apmalikiobama.html?syndication=rss