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Iraq/US
Clinton makes surprise visit to Baghdad
Article published on the 2009-04-25 Latest update 2009-04-25 16:19 TU
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is greeted by newly appointed U.S Ambassador to Iraq Chris Hill in Baghdad
(Photo: Reuters)
Hillary Clinton arrived in the Iraqi capital on Saturday and met with senior US military commanders. Her visit comes one day after suicide attacks killed 55 in Baghdad and two days after dozens were killed in a separate attack.
She was met on arrival by the new US ambassador to Iraq, Christopher Hill, as well as by US commander Admiral Michael Mullen and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zabari.
She was due to meet General Ray Odierno, the senior US commander in Iraq, at the US embassy.
She will also meet Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Malaki, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and the UN Secretary General's Special Representative to Iraq, Staffan de Mistura.
US soldiers are due to withdraw from Iraq cities and town by the end of June and President Obama announced a strategy last February that aims to remove most US troops by August 2010.
Clinton said she wanted Odierno's evaluation of what she called "rejectionist efforts" and of "what can be done to prevent them by both the Iraqi government and the US forces". This, in reference to suicide attacks on Thursday and Friday.
The suicide attack on Friday brought to 140 the number of people killed in the past 48 hours.
 Clinton makes surprise visit to Baghdad |
