Hilary Clinton is against American airstrike on Iraq

Former US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said on Friday that she rejects an American airstrike on Iraq in response to the withdrawal of the Iraqi army from the country’s northern and eastern cities.

Clinton made her comment during an event in Washington to promote her new book “Hard Choices.” When she was asked by a BBC correspondent if the US should intervene to aid Nouri al-Maliki’s government now, Clinton said, “Not at this time, no.”

She continued, “I agree with the White House’s rejection and reluctance to do the kind of military activities that the Maliki government is requesting, namely fighter aircraft to provide close support for the army, and also to go after targets. That is not a role for the United States.”

This is considered a dovish position compared with her more hawkish stance as senator- in 2002 she supported the US war against Iraq, which began in 2003.

Blaming Al-Maliki for the retreat of his army, she said, “There needs to be a number of steps that Maliki and his government must take to demonstrate he is committed to an inclusive Iraq, something he is not done up-to-date.”

She added, “The army, which has not been able to hold territory, has to have an injection of discipline and professionalism, something the US has been trying to help with, and Maliki has to be willing to demonstrate unequivocally that he is a leader for all Iraqis, not for a sectarian slice of the country.”