The new U.S. ambassador to Iraq Ryan
Crocker takes an oath during a ceremony held at the U.S. Embassy in
Baghdad March 29, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
BAGHDAD, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The new U.S. ambassador
to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, was sworn in at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's heavily
fortified Green Zone on Thursday.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at the embassy,
which once was Saddam Hussein's former Republican Palace, and was attended by
U.S. Lieutenant General David Petraeus, the head of U.S. forces in Iraq, and
embassy officials, U.S. Embassy spokesman Lou Fintor said.
Crocker told the ceremony that his country is facing
"historic challenges" in Iraq with insurgents and militia continue to threaten
security in Baghdad and around the country.
"These challenges will demand a strong commitment and
broad performance from the Iraqi government and the international community,"
Crocker said.
He emphasized that his mission in Iraqi is not
impossible, saying "all of these (challenges) will be very hard but if I thought
it was impossible I would not be standing here today."
The 57-year-old ambassador pledged to support the
government of the Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, but warned that the
Iraqi leader must take all necessary steps to unite the war-torn country.
"We must stand by the Maliki government and all
Iraqis who seek a better future and remain committed to their success," Crocker
said.
"This government, under the leadership of Prime
Minister Maliki, must continue to take the necessary steps to unify this
country, and to deliver tangible improvements to the lives of all Iraqis," he
added.
Crocker, who arrived in Iraq late on Tuesday,
replaced Zalmay Khalilzad, who left the country earlier this week. Crocker will
present his credentials to Iraqi President Jalal Talabani soon, Fintor said.
U.S. President George W. Bush has nominated Khalilzad
to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
WASHINGTON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S.
Senate on Thursday passed a bill that would require President George W. Bush to bring all
combat troops home from Iraq within a year.
On a 51-to-47 vote, Democrats narrowly pushed through the
122-billion-U.S. dollar war funding bill, which includes a timeline to pull out
all U.S. combat troops by March 31, 2008. Full story
WASHINGTON, March 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W.
Bush vowed Wednesday not to negotiate with Congress on setting a timetable to
withdraw troops from Iraq.
In a speech delivered to the National Cattlemen's Beef
Association, Bush said the American people would blame lawmakers if there is any
delay in approving money for the war effort due tolegislative battle over such a
timetable. Full story
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