US has no strategic interest in united Iraq - Bolton

US has no strategic interest in united Iraq-Bolton
29 Jan 2007 Reuters

PARIS, Jan 29 (Reuters) - The United States has no strategic interest in ensuring that Iraq remain united, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said in an interview published on Monday.

Bolton, a close ally of U.S. President George W. Bush who stepped down after Democrats made it clear they would block his renomination, also told Le Monde newspaper the United States should have handed power over to Iraqis more quickly.

"The United States has no strategic interest in the fact that there be one Iraq or three Iraqs," the newspaper quoted Bolton as saying.

"We have a strategic interest in ensuring that what emerges is not a completely failed state that becomes a refuge for terrorists, or a terrorist state," he said.

"In retrospect, we should have transferred authority to the Iraqis more quickly after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein," Bolton said, adding: "We did the Iraqis a disservice by depriving them of political responsiblities."

As for who led the country now, Bolton said Washington had no interest in any particular setup.