US under-estimated Iraq political problems: Gates

Abu Dhabi, Aug 3: Defense Secretary Robert Gates said yesterday that the United States had probably underestimated how hard it would be for Iraqi political leaders to agree reconciliation measures.

Gates, speaking at the end of a West Asia tour, also said he had urged countries in the region to redouble efforts to pressure Iran over its nuclear programme, declaring ''there's not really room for bystanders.'' He said he was more optimistic now than several months ago that increased US troop levels could improve security in Iraq, but political progress had proved harder than anticipated.

The main Sunni Muslim bloc quit Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's Shi'ite-led government, underscoring how difficult relations are between political groups.

''We probably all underestimated the depth of the mistrust and how difficult it would be for these guys to come together on legislation which, let's face it, is not just some sort of secondary kind of thing,'' Gates said.

''The kinds of legislation they're talking about establish the framework of Iraq for the future, so it's almost like our constitutional convention,'' he told reporters aboard his plane as he flew back to the United States.

Iraqi leaders have promised laws to address the grievances of the Sunni minority that dominated government under Saddam Hussein, such as measures to share out oil revenue and relax restrictions on ex-members of Saddam's Ba'ath party getting public jobs.

But the laws have not been passed, even though US commanders have claimed some reduction in violence since deploying an extra 30,000 troops this year with the aim of boosting security to foster reconciliation.

Gates said he was more encouraged by local developments, such as the change in the western province of Anbar, where Sunni tribes turned against al Qaeda and now fight alongside US troops against the militant Islamists.

''Clearly the withdrawal of the Sunnis from the government is discouraging. My hope is it can all be patched back together,'' Gates said.

''But the developments at the local level, I think, are more encouraging than I would have expected three or four months ago.'' Gates visited Egypt and Saudi Arabia with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice earlier this week and the Pentagon chief then went on to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Gates said there was widespread concern about Iran's nuclear programme, which Tehran insists is purely to produce electricity but Washington says is to develop atomic weapons.

''The more countries in the world that cooperate in the UN sanctions and in bringing pressures to bear on this government, the better off we'll be. That was basically our message,'' he said.

''There's not really room for bystanders here.''

Reuters>