Press backs Iraq policy change

Many Arab newspapers welcome what they see as Washington's decision to accelerate the timetable for the transfer of political power in Iraq. Several go further and call for the complete withdrawal of coalition forces from the country. But some Iranian papers make the point that an early military exit could lead to even greater instability.

The US has got two options in Iraq: one, continue implementing its plans of going to war against Iraq and bear the responsibility of all the consequences... or two, hasten the transfer of power to a representative of the Iraqi people by conducting free and fair elections under the supervision of the UN... Despite these two scenarios, the Iraqi resistance is most effective. That is the way people always win.

Al-Jumhuriyah - Egypt

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President Bush has finally responded in part to demands by Egypt and other countries like France which are following the Iraqi issue by hastening the transfer of power to Iraqis... This confirms what we have been saying: That there will be no stability there if the US administration does not move quickly and transfer power to Iraqis and withdraw from its territory.

Al-Ahram - Egypt

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Washington should first of all apologise for its responsibility for the killings [in Iraq] and pay compensation to victims and should now stop interfering in the internal affairs of other countries. It is in people's nature to desire freedom and democracy. They do not need American tanks to bring this about.

Al-Ra'y Al-Am - Kuwait

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The US administration has begun to realise that its predicament in Iraq has become very high-priced, both materially and in terms of human losses... A prompt US withdrawal is the only way out because the US invasion of Iraq was a flagrant mistake from the start.

Al-Quds Al-Arabi - London

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If President Bush's speech [on democracy in the Arab world] is to gain credibility then these are the changes which should occur in US policy: First, the US should be the one to set the example in the field of human rights, by respecting the human and political rights of the Guantanamo Bay prisoners and all other prisoners secretly detained in the US... secondly: it should stop ignoring the war crimes Israel is perpetrating on a daily basis against the Palestinians... thirdly: it should leave Iraq, which it illegally occupied without any justification.

Al-Hayat - London (commentary by Ahmad Najib al-Shabi)

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It seems that the US administration and the interim government in Iraq have begun realising the truth of the situation: that the crisis cannot be solved using an iron fist... There is no doubt that success in rebuilding Iraq will not be achieved without security and stability. Iraqis should be the decision makers in managing their own country's affairs.

Al-Rayah - Qatar

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Before invading Iraq, the US confidently spoke about the imprisoned Iraqi people who would welcome its forces with roses... today, seven months on, every soldier's bunch of roses is imported specifically to be put on their coffins.

Al-Watan - Qatar (commentary by Lu'ay Kadumi)

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The US' failure in Iraq will not affect the US administration alone, rather it will also affect those countries that are allied to it.

Al-Dustur - Jordan

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The US occupation is destroying the unity of Iraq, tearing apart its society and forcing it to regress... For America to become a changing force, fit for this international role, it must first change, but it has never done so.

Al-Safir - Lebanon (commentary by Tawfiq Mhana)

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Washington should pay close attention to its long term interests by understanding the culture and the political map of the region. President Bush should rectify his stand and avoid repeating his errors in Iraq so that the region and the world can avoid a new war.

Al-Watan - Saudi Arabia

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If American forces leave Iraq before the restoration of political stability, disputes between various Iraqi groups could lead to clashes which would make the country's situation even more serious.

Mardom Salari - Iran

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Another danger is handing over the country's affairs to a nation which is not prepared to settle the important political disputes of the future.

Aftab-e Yazd - Iran

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.