8/26/2010Iraqi president hails US for helping Iraqis oust dictatorship
Baghdad, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani praised on Thursday role of the American Army for the liberation of Iraq from the hateful dictatorship and support for the government forces against terrorism.
Talabani, speaking at a meeting with the outgoing top US commander in Iraq General Ray Odierno, hailed the role of the American Army in the liberation of the country and support for the Iraqi forces in combating "the forces of darkness and the terrorists and cleansing large areas of the country of the smears of terrorism." He also praised these forces in habilitating the government forces for taking charge of the mission of enforcing security.
"The Iraqi people are grateful for the American Army for its role in the liberation from the hateful dictatorship," he said, noting that the Iraqi people would not forget the sacrifices of the US forces since 2003 for the freedom of the country.
"Facts on the grounds have refuted the rumors that oil is the main reason for dispatching the American forces to Iraq and have proven that they have come here for the liberation of the Iraqi people of one of the ugliest dictatorships witnessed in the modern times," the Iraqi president said.
He indicated that future tasks with the Americans would focus on activating strategic accords in the economic and cultural spheres and cooperation in the energy sector and hoped that Iraq would be democratic, stable and unified.
A strong and democratic Iraq can play a prime role for the stability and security of the region, Talabani said.
For his part, Gen. Odierno said the US would remain a friend and strategic aly of Iraq and the Iraqis and would pursue supporting its political and democratic processes, adding that Washington would seek to expand scope of the economic, diplomatic, cultural and commercial cooperation with the country.
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgencyPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2108231&Language=en
