Leaders ask Syria and Iran to curb violence

Iraq allies urge Bush to turn to Iran, Syria
By Steve Holland
35 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush, searching for a new approach in Iraq, expressed little enthusiasm on Monday for seeking Syrian and Iranian help to calm Iraq as he also cautioned Democrats against quick U.S. troop reductions.


Bush, who has stated a need for "fresh perspectives" on Iraq after his Republican Party received a drubbing in last week's midterm congressional elections, met at the White House on Monday with the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, whose report in a month could offer him a change of course in Iraq.

Unrelenting violence in Iraq has added to the pressure on Bush. Through Monday night, Baghdad reported one of the highest tolls of suspected sectarian deaths in recent weeks, with the bodies of 46 people recovered, an Interior Ministry source said. A suicide bomb killed 11 Iraqis on a minibus and at least nine U.S. and British troops were reported killed in the previous two days.

Monday's violence, which also underlined Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's problems trying to curb the bloodshed, followed attacks which killed more than 100 people Sunday including a suicide attack on police recruits which killed 35 in Baghdad.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair was to call on Monday for Syria and Iran to be engaged in efforts to stem violence in Iraq and to secure a broader Middle East peace settlement.

Blair will argue the need for a Middle East strategy that includes making clear to Damascus and Tehran how they can help in the region while warning them of the consequences of hindering peace, a spokeswoman said.

Prime Minister John Howard of Australia, another of Bush's loyal backers in Iraq, also said Monday talks should be held with Syria and Iran on ending the violence in Iraq.
It is not clear how willing Tehran and Damascus are to step into the turmoil of Iraq to aid Washington.