Iraqi PM threatens to review ties with countries criticize Saddam execution
7/1/2007 11:06
The Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki threatened yesterday to review
ties with the countries which criticized the hanging of the former Iraqi leader
Saddam Hussein.
Maliki made the remarks in a speech at a parade marking the
86th anniversary of the Iraqi army, at the monument of the Unknown Soldier built
by Saddam in the heavily fortified Green Zone.
"The Iraqi government could be
obliged to review its relations with any state that fails to respect the wish of
the Iraqi people, " Maliki warned on the occasion of the Army Day.
He
explained that Saddam had received a fair trial and that his execution was
a"domestic affair" which is for the benefit of Iraq' s unity.
"We consider
the execution of the dictator an internal affair that concerns only the Iraqi
people," Maliki stressed, adding "it was not a political decision as suggested
by the enemies of Iraqi people."
Saddam was executed by hanging at dawn on
Dec. 30 for crimes in the execution of 148 Shiite civilians from Dujail, north
of Baghdad, in the 1980s. His two former aides, Barzan Ibrahim al- Tikriti and
Awad Hmed al-Bandar, are expected to be also hanged soon for their role in the
execution.
The premier, meanwhile, vowed that his governmental forces backed
by the US troops would implement a major offensive to crackdown on outlawed
armed groups from all sectarian factions in Baghdad.
"The security plan is
ready," Maliki said, adding that "we will depend on our armed forces to carry
out this plan and the Multi- National Force will support our forces."
"We
will completely reject any interference from any political parties in this
plan," he added.
The Iraqi forces backed by US troops will begin a
neighborhood-by-neighborhood offensive in Baghdad this weekend to contain Sunni
insurgents and Shiite death squads, according to Iraqi officials.
Xinhua
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