{"article":{"id":205304,"heading":"New strongman for Iraq","author":"Anton Macker","created":"2007-08-22 17:16:27","modified":"2013-11-11 00:49:29","last_modified":"Mon, 11 Nov 2013 07:49:29","article":"

Bush was asked about the situation in Iraq at a news conference where he joined Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon in wrapping up a North American summit.

The fundamental question is will the government of Iraq respond to the demands of the US, Bush said.

And if the government of Iraq ... doesn't respond to the demands of our oil companies, we will replace the Iraqi government.

That's up to the Americans to make that decision, not the Iraqis.

A day earlier, Sen. Carl Levin, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, urged the Iraqi assembly to oust U.S.-backed al-Maliki and replace his government with one strong strongman like Saddam.

The Americans will decide, Bush said.

The Iraqis have decided they want a constitution.

They have elected members to their parliament but the bums just won’t give us the oil for nothing.

They’ll all have to go, he said.

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