It's Because "Bush Lied," Of Course,....

Jordan's king extends hand in Iraq
He is the first Arab head of state to visit since 2003. He urged his counterparts to do the same.

By Qassim Abdul-Zahra

Associated Press

BAGHDAD - Jordan's King Abdullah II held talks yesterday with Iraq's prime minister after coming to Baghdad on an unannounced visit, the first by an Arab head of state since the U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Abdullah called on Arab governments to "extend their hand to Iraq" because a strong Iraq "is a source of strength for the Arab nation," according to a statement released by the royal palace in the Jordanian capital of Amman.

An Iraqi government statement said Abdullah had "frank and positive talks" with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on relations between the two countries. Al-Maliki told the king that Iraq wanted to improve ties with all Arab countries, the statement said.

In turn, Abdullah expressed Jordan's support for Iraqi "efforts to impose stability," the statement added.

Ties between the two neighboring countries had been strained since the fall of Saddam because of Jordanian fears that Iraq's Shiite-led government was too friendly with Shiite-dominated Iran.

But U.S. officials had been urging Abdullah to visit Iraq to bolster ties between the two countries as part of Washington's campaign to shore up support for the Iraqi government as a counterweight to Iranian influence.

Al-Maliki visited Jordan in June for the first time in nearly two years, and since then, the two nations appear willing to put their differences behind them. During that visit, al-Maliki agreed to renew oil supplies to Jordan for the next three years at discounted prices.

Jordan agreed to ease restrictions on the entry of Iraqi students and those transiting to a third country. Tens of thousands of Iraqis have sought refuge in Jordan to escape the sectarian violence that swept the country two years ago but has receded.

Jordan has also named an ambassador to Iraq, joining other Arab countries that have agreed to upgrade their relations as the Iraqi government becomes more stable and security has improved - despite sporadic attacks and ongoing military operations.

Iraqi officials have been eager to improve their ties with their Arab neighbors now that the government's confidence has risen with improvements in security.

Yesterday, about 250 Iraqi refugees were flown home from Egypt free of charge aboard the prime minister's personal plane in what Iraqi officials said was an affirmation of improved security.

The TrekMedic muses:

So, a moderate Arab ruler extends the hand of friendship to a stable Iraqi government and...oh, yeah, gets something from them that he needs: cheap oil! Not American oil, but Iraqi oil!! And Iraq is making money off of it's exports again. I believe some people would call that "capitalism." I could be wrong. After all, we all know Bush lied to start this war and make money for his "oil buddies" here in the US, right??