Iraq Wants to Set Rules on U.S. Raids

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Jun 1, 9:01 AM EDT

Iraq Wants to Set Rules on U.S. Raids


BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Thursday denounced the alleged killings of Iraqi civilians by U.S. forces and said he asked a ministerial committee to hold talks with U.S. military to set ground rules for raids and detentions. The move came in the wake of an investigation into allegations that U.S. Marines killed unarmed civilians in the western city of Haditha.

Al-Maliki said he had ordered the "national security ministerial committee to follow up on this issue with the multinational forces" and "to hold talks with the multinational forces to formulate ground rules for detentions and raids." When asked about Iraqi complaints that U.S. forces show no regard for their lives during raids and detentions, al-Maliki said he objected to such practices.

"We cannot forgive violations of the dignity of the Iraqi people," he said during a press conference. He also said the Cabinet had agreed to issue a statement denouncing such practices.

The killings at Haditha, a city that has been plagued by insurgents, came after a bomb rocked a military convoy on Nov. 19, killing a Marine. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a decorated war veteran who has been briefed by military officials, has said Marines shot and killed unarmed civilians in a taxi at the scene and went into two homes and shot others.

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Commander-in-chief. He won't want anyone dictating to him what our troops can and cannot do. After all, he's the decider.

If our goal truly is to set them up as a democracy, then at some point we have to recognize that they are a sovereign nation and let them make their own decisions.

Oh, yeah, I forgot-they might decide not to let us pump their oil anymore if we let them make their own decisions.