Iraq Government Spokesman Can't Thank America Enough for Our Sacrifice
"The sacrifices of American servicemembers made it possible to overthrow "a brutal government for 35 years which destroyed Iraq and the region. We never dreamed we would get rid of Saddam, because Saddam was planning even his grandson to rule Iraq."
(Washington, D.C.)—Without American sacrifices in Iraq, the country would still be under the rule of a brutal dictator, said Dr. Ali Al-Dabbagh, spokesman for the Iraqi government. Al-Dabbagh spoke with Pentagon reporters today and said the sacrifices of American servicemembers made it possible to overthrow "a brutal government for 35 years which destroyed Iraq and the region. We never dreamed we would get rid of Saddam, because Saddam was planning even his grandson to rule Iraq."
The spokesman said that "all the expression of thanks to the Americans to appreciate what they did was not enough." (Photo: Sgt. Joshua Holland, 25, a member of the 401st hands out toys to Iraqi school children/Troop Scoop report)
The other thing to realize is that Americans fighting in Iraq are also defending their homeland and making the region safer, Al-Dabbagh said. Al-Qaida is a danger not only in Iraq, but throughout the region and internationally.
Al-Dabbagh said Iran has been cooperative and seems to have stopped sending ordinance and fighters into Iraq.
"Iran has shown a positive stance since last year even," he said, adding that the assurances that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki gave Iranian leaders seems to have made a difference.
Al-Dabbagh called for the new U.S. administration to engage in "deep dialogue" with Iran, but he called on Iran to respect international law. "In order for Iran to be a good partner in the region they should respect international law and refrain from interfering not only in Iraq, but the region," he said.
