Maliki calls Iraq key to war on terrorism

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki sidestepped controversy over Israel and Lebanon and got a ringing endorsement over his hopes to build a peaceful Iraq when he addressed the U.S. Congress on Wednesday.

"Trust that Iraq will be the grave of terrorism and terrorists, for the good of all humanity," said Maliki, who drew a number of ovations even after Democrats had condemned his earlier statements blaming Israel as the aggressor in the Lebanon conflict.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and many Democrats were irate that Maliki last week denounced Israel as the aggressor in the Lebanon conflict. They demanded he apologize or clarify his remarks, and some threatened to boycott the address.

But before the speech Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told lawmakers Iraq had joined some other Arab League nations in criticizing Hizbollah's attacks on Israel, Reid, a senator from Nevada, told reporters.

Most Democrats were in their seats for the speech that was interrupted by applause more than 20 times.

A heckler briefly halted proceedings, shouting "Iraqis want the troops to leave. Bring them home now." Capitol police removed the woman who was wearing a pink T-shirt with the words "troops home now."

Maliki said Iraq was key to defeating terrorism worldwide. Recalling a failed uprising against President Saddam Hussein in 1991, he urged the United States not to abandon his country.

"Let us not allow what happened in 1991 to repeat itself, because if it does history will not be merciful to any one of us," Maliki said. After the Gulf War then-President George H.W. Bush was viewed as supportive of insurgents against Saddam but did not give them military assistance and they were crushed.

Maliki sought to reassure lawmakers Iraq could be brought back from the brink of civil war. About 100 people have died a day in attacks between different factions in recent weeks.

Several lawmakers said they were disappointed Maliki did not directly condemn Hizbollah as a terrorist organization.

Saudi Arabia has criticized Hizbollah for acting without Lebanese government approval and giving Israel an excuse to attack Lebanon. Diplomats say the Egyptian and Jordanian governments hold similar views.

Maliki thanked the United States "for helping our people get rid of dictatorship" in the war in which over 2,500 U.S. soldiers have died and which has cost U.S. taxpayers more than $300 billion. There are nearly 130,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.

The war is unpopular with many Americans and has eroded President George W. Bush's approval ratings, jeopardizing his party's hopes for keeping control of Congress in November's elections.

Maliki tried to dispel doubts that Iraq was up to stemming the violence. He focused on the role of insurgents instead of the escalating sectarian violence.

He said Iraq was facing a battle between true Islam that respects human rights and terrorists "who are falsely claiming to be speaking for Islam and Muslims."

Sen. Joseph Biden (news, bio, voting record) of Delaware, top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said despite Maliki's initiatives sectarian violence "has exploded into a virtual civil war" in Baghdad. Without a bigger effort to bring Sunnis into the government and generate employment, Biden said, "We risk trading a dictator for chaos."

Maliki urged that reconstruction projects that have been largely funded by the United States rely more on Iraqi companies and labor instead of "security contractors and foreign companies that operate with enormous profit margins."

(additional reporting by Susan Cornwell, Steve Holland and Donna Smith)