Iraqi Prime Minister Refuses to Set US Withdrawal Deadline

Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari meets with President Bush Friday, in Washington.
The morning talks are expected to focus on Iraq's political future and the training of the country's security forces.
In an interview with the Washington Post Thursday, Mr. al-Jaafari said joint U.S. - Iraqi offensives have improved security efforts dramatically. The prime minister says he wants American forces to be able to leave Iraq as quickly as possible, but he says no specific deadline should be set because it would play into the hands of the terrorists.
Mr. al-Jaafari wants to accelerate the training pace for Iraqi forces, and says he hopes other nations will join in the effort.
Mr. al-Jaafari insists that Iraq will meet the August deadline for completing a new constitution for ratification through a national referendum.