Bush backs al-Maliki

George Bush has given Iraq's Prime Minister a fresh endorsement.

The US President appeared to distance himself from Nouri al-Maliki recently but showed his support when he addressed the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Kansas.

Mr Bush said: "Prime Minister Maliki's a good guy, a good man with a difficult job and I support him.

"And it's not up to the politicians in Washington DC to say whether he will remain in his position.

"It is up to the Iraqi people who now live in a democracy and not a dictatorship."

Earlier this week, Mr al-Maliki said Iraq would pay no attention to the US criticism and could "find friends elsewhere".

Mr Bush said the people of Iraq had made a great step towards reconciliation, but added that there was "a certain level of frustration with the leadership" of Mr al-Maliki and his government now had to perform.

Mr Bush said: "If the government doesn't respond to the demands of the people, they will replace the government - that's up the Iraqis to make that decision, not American politicians."

Earlier, the US ambassador to Baghdad, Ryan Crocker, said political progress in Iraq had been "extremely disappointing" and on Monday, Carl Levin, chairman of the US Senate Committee on Armed Services, urged the Iraqi parliament to evict Mr Maliki's government.

White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said he wanted to make it clear Mr Bush was not distancing himself from the Iraqi Prime Minister.

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