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Dinner meet canceled for Bush, Iraq prime minister (Site not responding. Last check: ) |
 | | A scheduled dinner meeting between President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was canceled Wednesday, hours after 36 Iraqi politicians loyal to militant Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr withdrew from their government posts and denounced Bush as 'the world's biggest evil.' |
| | The White House denied that the delay was a snub by the Iraqi leader and insisted that 'robust' talks would continue as planned today, despite the political turmoil in Baghdad and the leak of an administration memo detailing U.S. concerns about al-Maliki's ability to control sectarian violence. |
| | The Sadr forces have been crucial allies for al-Maliki, and their decision to withdraw from the government put the prime minister, already considered weak, in the difficult position of having to reject his Iraqi supporters to avoid humiliating Bush, even as administration officials leaked a secret memo questioning al-Maliki's competence and leadership abilities. |
| www.topix.net /content/kri/1065418165372315551119498766703669049362 (857 words) |
