Al Jazeera TV (English), 10 Oct 2012 – The recent arms deal between Iraq and Russia makes Russia the largest weapons supplier to Iraq after the United States. Maliki in this three-day trip will discuss with Russian officials the dire situation in Syria. Both Maliki and Russia both support Bashar Assad by opposing any kind of foreign intervention in Syria…
Maliki defends Iraq’s right to purchase weapons from any foreign source it wishes. “As far as our policies on purchasing weapons are concerned, we will ask no one for prior advice,” he said.
“The US government doesn’t trust Maliki. However, it is forced to tolerate it for now,” said Sabah al-Mokhtar, President of the Arab Lawyers Society in London to Al Jazeera TV.
“While Maliki is attempting to eradicate the Bathists in Iraq, he is supporting the Bathist regime in Syria,” he added in another part of his interview.
“Iran is sending weapons to Syria through Iraq and the Americans aren’t doing anything about it,” he continued.
“I must also emphasize that Iraqi is not at all part of the American policy, because the Americans presented Iraq to Iran and left the country. Controlling the situation in Iraq is now in Iran’s hands, not the US. America might have some influence, however, Iraq is completely following Iran which is part of Russia’s camp,” al-Mokhtari concluded.