No hasty Change In US Policy With Barack Obama Win: Iraq

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 1:18 pm

No hasty Change In US Policy With Barack Obama Win: Iraq BAGHDAD: Iraq does not expect an immediate shift in U.S. policy toward the country when Barack Obama takes office as U.S. president, the foreign minister said Wednesday.

But Hoshyar Zebari acknowledged that the new president-elect’s perspective on the war in Iraq differs greatly from current U.S. President George W. Bush.

“We don’t expect any change to happen overnight or any hasty change in U.S. policy and commitment toward Iraq,” Zebari told Al-Arabiyah TV moments after Obama claimed victory over Republican John McCain.

But he said Obama “will not have the same enthusiasm and momentum for this situation” in Iraq as Bush.

Zebari, who described the elections as “historic”, said that Iraq views Obama’s win over Republican John McCain as an opportunity to establish “a successful future partnership between the two countries.”

Obama opposed the Iraq invasion of 2003 and has called for a complete withdrawal of combat troops within 16 months.

But Zebari said Obama told Iraqi leaders earlier this year during meetings in Baghdad and Washington that “he would not take any hasty decisions … and any decision that concerns Iraq would be taken after thorough discussions with the Iraqi government and field military leaders.”

Iraqis opposed to the U.S. military presence hailed Barack Obama’s victory in the U.S. presidential election.

The country has nearly as big a stake in Tuesday’s presidential contest as Americans, since Obama will face tough decisions on how to draw down U.S. forces without sacrificing security gains and vital American interests in the Middle East.

No hasty Change In US Policy With Barack Obama Win: Iraq

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