Iraqi Says Visit by Two Diplomats Backfired
A top adviser to Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said Wednesday that the visit this week by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw of Britain had backfired, prolonging a deadlock over a new government and strengthening Mr. Jaafari’s resolve to keep his post. “Pressure from outside is not helping to speed up any solution,” said the adviser, Haider al-Abadi. “All it’s doing is hardening the position of people who are supporting Jaafari.” Full Story