Iraqi gov’t denounces U.S. air raid on Syria

Iraq-Atta BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi government on Tuesday denounced a U.S. air strike on the Syrian border, noting it has started an investigation into the accident. “The Iraqi government on Tuesday denounced a U.S. air strike against posts inside Syria,” said Ali Al-Dabbagh, spokesman for the Iraqi government, in a statement received by IraqiNews.com. “The Iraqi government’s policy and the permanent constitution does not allow the use of Iraqi territories as a headquarter or a base for attacks against neighboring countries,” al-Dabbagh highlighted. Syria has said four U.S. helicopters struck the border village of al-Bu Kamal on Sunday night, killing eight people. Washington has refused to confirm the raid, which Iraq said targeted staging grounds used by militants. “Iraq reiterated its demand for all organizations that are using Syria as a staging ground to cease their activities in arming and training terrorists that are targeting Iraq,” the spokesman stressed. The Iraqi government’s criticism of the raid bears political importance at a time when Baghdad and Washington are trying to rescue a stalled security agreement to allow U.S. forces to remain in Iraq for three years. One of the snagging point was the demand filed by the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) that the accord does not prevent U.S. forces from using Iraq as a base for attacks on its neighbors. AM (S)/SR 1