I will not be forced out by US and UK, says Iraqi PM

As I reported here, the Bush administration are puttting heavy pressure on Ibrahim Jaafari to stand down as Iraq's Prime Minister. From his interview in today's Guardian newspaper, he is in no mind to do so.

"There is a decision that was reached by a democratic mechanism and I stand with it ... We have to protect democracy in Iraq and it is democracy which should decide who leads Iraq. We have to respect our Iraqi people," he said.

Tampering with democracy was risky, he insisted. "People will react if they see the rules of democracy being disobeyed. Every politician and every friend of Iraq should not want people to be frustrated," he said. "Everyone should stick to democratic mechanisms no matter whether they disagree with the person," he added pointedly.

He also made a rather valid point regarding the US talks with Iran about Iraq's future.

"When the two countries are talking about Iraq, Iraq must be a member of those talks," he said. "Definitely. Of course. It's in Iraq's interest, and in the interests of the other two countries that an Iraq representative be there, as long as the subject is Iraq."

It remains to be seen whether the US and UK governments will allow Iraq's democratically elected Prime Minister to remain in his position. The signs, so far, do not make that outcome likely.

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Tags: Iraqi Prime Minister, Ibrahim Jaafari, Resignation, Calls to Stand Down, US Interference, Democcray,