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Iraq's prime minister fires back against U.S. critics

 BAGHDAD - Iraq's embattled prime minister defended his government Sunday against American critics, saying they underestimate the problems facing this country and fail to appreciate his achievements "such as stopping the civil and sectarian war."

Criticism of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's leadership has been growing in the runup to this month's series of reports to Congress on political and security progress since President Bush dispatched nearly 30,000 more American troops to Iraq.

Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sen. Carl Levin have called for Maliki to be replaced.

"Regrettably these statements made by U.S. officials sometimes exceed reasonable limits and at the same time send regrettable messages which help terrorists think that the security situation in the country is weak and the political forces are not cohesive," Maliki told reporters.

He added that critics are sending "negative messages that encourage terrorism."

"Maybe they don't know the size of the destruction that Iraq passed through and the big role of the Iraqi government and its achievements such as stopping the civil and sectarian war," Maliki said.

During an interview broadcast Sunday by Iraqi state television, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker also urged patience with the Iraqis as they try to reach power-sharing agreements among Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.

"After 35 years of injustice under Saddam Hussein, there are some problems since liberation and the problems of 40 years cannot be solved in a year or two," Crocker said, speaking in Arabic. "What is important is that there is progress."

Also Sunday

British drawdown: British soldiers began withdrawing Sunday from their last base in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, paving the way for fresh troop cuts and fueling worries about the security of the country's second-largest city and the surrounding region. Around 550 soldiers were leaving the downtown Basra Palace, one of deposed President Saddam Hussein's former compounds, to join 5,000 other personnel at an air base 7 miles away on the fringes of the city. Defense officials said the withdrawal could take days to complete. The Iraqi military sent hundreds of reinforcements to the city to prevent Shiite militias and criminal gangs from expanding their influence.

Karbala clashes: Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr demanded an investigation into the two-day clashes that broke out Monday night. His followers claimed that officials from the Supreme Council have used the Karbala clashes as a pretext to crack down on the Sadr movement.

Violence: A car bomb exploded in northern Baghdad, killing nine people and injuring 15, police said. U.S. troops killed eight extremists in raids in Baghdad, the military said. Twenty-one bodies were found.

Northern bombings: The bombing of villages near the Iranian border continued. Iraqi officials say the attacks are coming from Iran, which is allegedly targeting a splinter group of Iraqi Kurds that is seeking autonomy for Kurds in Iran.

[Last modified September 3, 2007, 01:37:23]