Democratic senator and newly declared presidential candidate Hillary Clinton expressed deep skepticism about Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in a CNN interview broadcast Sunday, saying she lacks confidence in his capacity to stabilize Iraq amid ongoing sectarian violence.
Clinton, speaking days after returning from Iraq, suggested the United States should threaten to withhold funding from Iraqi security forces, including those protecting government officials, unless Baghdad shows a genuine commitment to curbing the conflict.
She voiced continued opposition to President George W. Bush's plan to deploy an additional 21,500 troops to Iraq, instead backing legislation to freeze troop levels and begin a gradual withdrawal. However, she ruled out cutting funding to American soldiers already serving there.
Clinton said of Maliki's government: "there's a mixed message at best," adding that the Bush administration had failed to adequately address the problem. She entered the 2008 presidential race on Saturday and is considered a leading contender for the Democratic nomination.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in January 2007, in its own words.