Iraqi leader blasts military raid in Shiite area

No deadlines offered
His comments followed remarks Tuesday by Gen. George Casey, the top American commander in Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, who said Iraqi leaders had agreed to a timeline for achieving key political and security goals, including reining in such groups.

Khalilzad revealed neither specific deadlines for achieving those goals nor penalties for their failure to do so, and al-Maliki said no deadlines had been put to his government, dismissing the U.S. talk of timelines as driven by the upcoming U.S. midterm election.

“We are not much concerned with it,” al-Maliki said.

As violence spiked in Baghdad and elsewhere, Casey said he would not hesitate to ask for more soldiers if he felt it necessary. He said, however, that he had not made a decision.

“Now, do we need more troops to do that? Maybe. And, as I’ve said all along, if we do, I will ask for the troops I need, both coalition and Iraqis,” Casey said.

Khalilzad said al-Maliki had agreed to the timeline concept that called for specific deadlines to be set by year’s end. U.S. officials revealed neither specific incentives for the Iraqis to implement the plan nor penalties for their failure to do so.

October has been the deadliest month this year for American forces. The military Tuesday announced the deaths of two more Marines, a sailor and a soldier. Since the start of the war, 2,801 U.S. service members have died in Iraq, according to an Associated Press count.

Also Wednesday, the military said it was continuing a search for a U.S. Army translator missing after he was believed to have been kidnapped Monday night in Baghdad. Troops had detained some suspects who “could possibly be involved,” said a military spokesman, Lt. Col. Jonathan Withington.

Scattered violence continued elsewhere in the country, with six people killed when a roadside bomb destroyed their vehicle in Balad Ruz, about 40 miles northeast of Baghdad. Other mortar and bomb attacks in the area wounded several people.

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