The neocons will NOT like the way this plays out
Welcome for Muslim Iraq force plan
Thursday July 29, 2004
The Iraqi prime minister, Ayad Allawi, today welcomed Saudi Arabia's proposals to help build a joint force of Muslim nations to establish security in the country. The plans have also been backed by the US.
Mr Allawi was speaking a day after more than 100 people had been killed in a series of suicide bombings, the deadliest attacks since his interim government took power from the US authorities.
After holding talks with the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, Mr Allawi said Muslim countries must close ranks against "those gangs, those terrorists and those criminals" he said were threatening the Arab world.
"The leaders of this region must unify and must stand as one group," he told a news conference, warning that, if the insurgency in Iraq were to prevail, countries such as Saudi Arabia, Syria and Lebanon would not be safe.
Under the Saudi proposal, Arab and Muslim countries that do not border Iraq would be invited to contribute to the security force. Iraq believes involvement in its security by its direct neighbours could ultimately lead to political conflict with them.
"We look forward to the contribution of the Arab and the Islamic states with the exception of the neighbouring states," Mr Allawi said.
