Middle East Digest - Septemeber 5, 2008Bureau of Public Affairs
September 5, 2008
The Middle East Digest provides text and audio from the Daily Press Briefing. For the full briefings, please visit daily press briefings.
From the Daily Press Briefing of September 5, 2008
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MR. WOOD: Well, this is what I call a full house. Sue, you ready? Good afternoon, everybody.
QUESTION: I do remember now, finally. Did you have any comment on the Bob Woodward book that just came out alleging that the Administration had spied on Prime Minister Maliki, and any claims that he makes that – sources saying that the surge was not responsible for the success in Iraq, but rather some sort of counterintelligence operation?
MR. WOOD: I don’t have anything to say other than, you know, I read books, but I don’t do book reviews, basically.
QUESTION: Yeah, just to go back to Iraq and Bob Woodward’s book. Surely, you’re going to have to reassure the Iraqis that you’re not spying on them based on these allegations. The Iraqis must be concerned. There are some signs that they’re worried about what had been going on. So what are you doing to reassure them?
MR. WOOD: Well, again, I’m not going to get into the substance of this book and, you know, our characterization of it, except to say that, look, we have a good working relationship, a strong working relationship, with the Government of Iraq. We’ve worked very closely with Prime Minister Maliki. We’ll continue to do so and -- in our efforts to strengthen Iraq’s democracy.
QUESTION: You can’t say that this is now an issue that you have to deal with?
MR. WOOD: Well, I, again, haven’t read the book. I’m not going to give you a review of it, and let me just leave it at that.
QUESTION: Can I just follow up?
MR. WOOD: You want to follow up on that? Sure.
QUESTION: I mean, the Iraqis have put out a statement saying that they are concerned about that. I mean, are you not working to address those concerns on an official level?
MR. WOOD: I’m just not going to comment further, Kirit, on that.
Samir.
QUESTION: Yes. There were reports yesterday that the Iraqi Government finally agreed to incorporate the volunteers, the Awakening. They call them the Sons of Iraq in the Sunni provinces, and that they will start paying their salaries beginning next month. How do you – what’s your reaction to this positive development?
MR. WOOD: Let me see if I can get you something on that. First and foremost, I’d refer you to the Iraqis for confirmation of that. But we believe transitioning some members of the Sons of Iraq into the Iraqi security forces, while providing the others with vocational training and other employment opportunities, will be key to sustaining the security gains that have been realized in Anbar and elsewhere in 2007. But I don’t have anything beyond that.
QUESTION: Any comment on the upcoming presidential elections in Pakistan, and what do you think about it?
MR. WOOD: Nothing – I mean, the elections are going to take place tomorrow. It’s an internal Pakistani matter. And again, regardless of who becomes president, we will continue to work with the Government of Pakistan on our mutual interests. And that’s longstanding U.S. policy.
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