M'sia : US troops must be pulled out from Iraq

US troops must leave to restore peace in Iraq - Syed Hamid

KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 (Bernama) -- Malaysia today renewed its call to the United States to pull out from war-torn Iraq to give a chance to Iraqis to solve their internal woes by themselves without any foreign meddling.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar told the Dewan Rakyat that as along as foreign troops were still in that country, there would be unhappiness among Iraqis and lead to more violence, thus jeopardising efforts to restore peace in the oil-rich nation.

"What's important now is that Iraqis must think as Iraqis and not on ethnic lines. As long as there is foreign occupation, there'll be no peace in Iraq.

"Hence, the United States must withdraw its troops from Iraq. Iraq's domestic problems must be resolved by Iraqis themselves," he told Datuk Ronald Kiandee (BN-Beluran) during question time.

Kiandee had asked for Malaysia's views to resolve the Iraqi conflict with the continued presence of US forces in Iraq. Today marked the fourth anniversary of the US attack on Iraq.

Earlier, replying to Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (BN-Gua Musang), Syed Hamid said Malaysia held to its stand that foreign troops' presence in Iraq and Afghanistan did not help end the conflict there but made it worse instead.

"We feel stationing foreign troops has worsened the situation as no solution is in sight to end the dispute in Afghanistan.

"Increasing foreign troops in Iraq also does not solve the problem either," he said.

As Chair of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), Malaysia hoped the international community would take a new approach to find a lasting solution to resolve the Afghanistan conflict, he added.

Hundreds in central Tokyo protest Iraq war

Japan to extend air support for U.S. in Iraq

Japan's defense minister wants to visit Iraq