Iraq needs multinational forces, Allawi says

Visiting Iraq's interim prime minister, Iyad Allawi, said in Washingto on Thursday that Iraq at this moment needs multinational forces.

"We do not want the multinational force to stay in Iraq any more than you want to remain there. But for now, we need you. we need the help of our American and multinational partners," Allawi said at a joint press conference with US President George W. Bush.

Stressing the training of Iraqi security forces is being accelerated, Allawi said that his interim government now commands almost 100,000 trained and combat-ready Iraqis, including police, national guards and army.

The Iraqi government is building a counter terrorist strike force to address the specific problems caused by the insurgency, he said, adding "our military plan will enable us to build and maintain security across Iraq."

Some 140,000-strong US troops and nearly 22,000 soldiers from dozens of other countries are deployed in Iraq.

Source: Xinhua