Gates arrives in Iraq to meet with officials

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Gates arrives in Iraq to meet with officials
By Anne Flaherty - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Dec 10, 2009 11:16:47 EST

BAGHDAD — U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived Thursday in Iraq to meet with Iraqi officials amid a wave of bombings that claimed 127 lives and rattled the country’s government. U.S. military leaders who greeted Gates defended the Iraqi security forces’ response to the attacks.

The second leg of Gates’ previously unannounced tour of two major U.S. war zones came as al-Qaida’s umbrella group in Iraq claimed responsibility Thursday for Tuesday’s attacks. The bombings wounded 500 people; the group warned of more to come.

Senior U.S. military officials defended the Iraqi forces’ efforts even after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki expressed his displeasure by dismissing his head of Baghdad security operations.

“It would be tough for any country, any government to prevent these kinds of attacks,” said Lt. Gen. Charles Jacoby, the No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq.

Gates was expected to press Iraq’s leaders for political progress between the Kurds and other ethnic groups. He was to meet privately with al-Maliki and President Jalal Talibani.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/12/ap_gates_iraq_afghanistan_121009/