Al Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi appeared in a rare video on Tuesday to denounce the new government as an American puppet designed to help Washington pull out of its woes in the country.
In the well-produced 35-minute video posted on the Internet, America's most wanted man in Iraq, dressed in black with a green ammunition belt, warned of more attacks: "What is coming is more painful."
"This democratic play which you brought to Iraq after you promised people freedom and … economic stability has gone with the wind," Zarqawi said.
"Today, you are trying with all means to assemble people who differ among themselves … and apostates to form a government to save you from your critical situation," he said, at times depicted firing an assault rifle, training soldiers in the desert or consulting masked aides over a map.
As Zarqawi's video appeared on television, Maliki, a tough-speaking Shi'ite with four weeks to name a cabinet acceptable to parliament, gave one of the most comprehensive outlines of his vision since President Jalal Talabani asked him to become premier on Saturday.
NO MILITARY SOLUTION
He urged Shi'ites, Kurds and Sunnis to unite against suicide bombings, shootings and assassinations that have killed many thousands of security force personnel and civilians since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, but warned there was no military solution.
"Force alone will not wipe out terrorism. If it ends in one place it pops up in another. If we are to succeed with all Iraqi people there must be solutions to unemployment and start a process of investment," he said.
Sectarian violence has rocketed since the bombing of an important Shi'ite shrine in February, and Maliki warned failure to disband militias -- linked to major political parties -- threatened to push Iraq into civil war.
"The weapons must be in the hands of the state. Their presence in the hands of others (militias) will be the start of problems that will trigger a civil war," he said.
Late on Monday, Maliki said he planned to deliver his new cabinet and government well ahead of the 30-day deadline:
"God willing, I am setting myself a timetable of 15 days to finish forming the cabinet and deliver it to the parliament."
In Washington, President George W. Bush, whose poll ratings have hit the lowest of his rule amid public disenchantment with the war, has welcomed Maliki's appointment as a historic moment.
U.S. forces are "engaged in heroic efforts" to help Iraq succeed, he said. "We're on our way to victory." There are 130,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.
"We've got more work to do. But the people -- our troops need to know and those working in the field need to know -- that there is a bipartisan desire for us to be successful in this very important theater in the war on terror."
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