Departing envoy says Iraq must understand US impatience

Iraq is heading in the right direction, but its leaders must understand US voters are increasingly impatient with the conflict according to departing US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad.

Mr Khalilzad, who is leaving his post after 21 months that had seen a massive increase in violence in Baghdad overall, declared that insurgent and militia attacks had decreased by 25% in the six weeks since the start of a US-Iraqi security plan on February 14.