Reply #2: Reuters: Bush 'brainwashed' Blair on Iraq pullout - Iraq VP [View All]

Bush 'brainwashed' Blair on Iraq pullout - Iraq VP
19 Dec 2006 21:11:10 GMT
Source: Reuters

By Michelle Nichols

NEW YORK, Dec 19 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair was in favor
of announcing a timetable to pull troops out of Iraq, but was "brainwashed"
out of it by President George W. Bush, Iraq's vice president said on Tuesday.

Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi told New York's Council on Foreign Relations
that when he spoke with Blair about three months ago, the British leader was
supportive of his appeal for the United States and Britain to say when they
would withdraw.

"I had just convinced him," Hashemi said. "He promised he was going to discuss
the subject with President Bush, but at the end of the day, it's quite unfortunate,
that your president (made) some sort of brainwashing of Mr. Blair."

But Hashemi also said any withdrawal of troops should be conditional on U.S.
training of Iraq's security forces.

-snip-