Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki arrived at the White House to appeal to President Barack Obama for more U.S. assistance combating increased terrorism perpetrated by an emboldened insurgency within his country, The Associated Press reported. Al-Maliki argued that U.S. assistance with additional weapons and help with intelligence are paramount to quell unrest in the country.
U.S. troops withdrew from the Arab country at the end of 2011 after he campaigned on ending the nearly nine-year.
"The terrorists found a second chance," al-Maliki said in a speech Thursday at the U.S. Institute of Peace. He said the violence has been fueled by the neighboring Syrian civil war, although he acknowledged that homegrown insurgents are to blame for the vast number of car bombs, suicide bombings and drive-by shootings that have roiled the nation, The AP reported.
"If the situation in Iraq is not well treated, it will be disastrous for the whole world. Terrorism does not know a single religion, or confession, or a single border. They carry their rotten ideas everywhere. They carry bad ideas instead of flowers. Al-Qaida is a dirty wind that wants to spread worldwide," al-Maliki added.
President Obama told reporters on Friday that he discussed with al-Maliki ways they can work together to stop the threat of al-Qaieda within Iraq. The president said that the best ways to honor the lives lost during the war was to work to bring about a functioning democracy, the AP reported.
Al-Maliki's visit with Obama marks the first meeting since December 2011, news reports said.
James Carney, the Obama administration's spokesman added that the U.S. considers Iraq an essential partner in fighting terrorism and security assistance is necessary.
"What's important to remember, though, is that the violence we're talking about, the attacks we're talking about, are not coming from within the political system. They're coming from al-Qaida and its affiliates," Carney said.
A demonstration outside the White House brought together Rep. Patrick Kennedy, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, retired Col. Wesley Martin, former counterterrorism commander Coalition Forces, Iraq and former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, all of whom protested al-Maliki's visit.
They questioned why the U.S. should welcome the Prime Minister at the White House at all, imploring the administration to cut aid and arms to the Arab country effective immediately, news reports said.
