No Iraqi deal unless withdrawal date given

IRAQ’S national security adviser said yesterday his country will not accept any security deal with the US unless it contains specific dates for the withdrawal of US-led forces.

The comments by Mouwaffak al-Rubaie were the strongest yet by an Iraqi official about the deal under negotiation with US officials. They came a day after Iraq’s prime minister first said he expects the pending troop deal with the US to have some type of timetable for withdrawal.

US President George Bush has said he opposes a timetable. The White House said it did not believe Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was proposing a rigid timeline for US troop withdrawals.