So Maliki News Today

>> maliki has spoken to foreign press really for the first time since this hasesquesq escalated. lets play that. >> translator: yes, they did strike inside the syrian side of the border. there was no coordination involved, but we welcome this action. we actually welcome nassirian strike against isis because this group targets both iraq and syria. so we welcome nassirian striantt isis. both countries welcome these actions, but we didnt make any requests from syria. they carry on their strikes and...

Remain as prime minister of iraq, do you think? >> well, i think its hard to say, but that is a bad side for him. sadr is extremely influential. he commands large numbers of shiite people, also shiite militiamen. hes a guy whos got muscle. his followers did a lot of damage, killed a lot of americans when we occupied the country. hes not the only prominent shiite who is essentially saying that maliki cant form and lead a government thats going to stabilize the country. the long-term solution here...

Place that might exacerbate the sectarian divisions that are already at a heightened level of tension. and so its very important that nothing take place that contributes to the extremism or could act as a flashpoint with respect to the sectarian divide. >> those comments coming as the syrian government bombed isis strong holds on the iraqi side of the border today. prime minister maliki says he supports the air strikes. meanwhile, iran is sending military supplies and intel assistance to baghdad...

Him. and so the problem we had in 2010 was that maliki finally agreed to some things. he had eight sunnis in his cabinet. another six or seven kurds. there wasnt a lack of sunni outreach in that cabinet. the problem was he didnt kind of complete, he didnt go forward with it. he tried to take back some things. so i think this time people have to say, you know, fool me once, shame on you. but this time, were not going to allow it to happen. so maliki is a tough customer and he should not be undere...

Point, the iraqi sunnis are going to have to step forward. overall, i think this has been a sort of real get real tour by the secretary, going to egypt, being very clear about the human rights problems, but at the same times, clear about the u.s. desire to have normal relations with the egyptian government. thats a -- thats the right way to go. and then to come into iraq and convey these tough messages. >> and ambassador, you are the perfect person to pose this to since you were there for the fi...

So doing, that will be a major change in the map in the middle east. and for all these map enthusiasts who love to draw new lines in the map, remember, you draw a new line, youre going to get a t of dead people in the process. >> yeah. this is starting to feel, at least in the video, a lot like the beginning of 2003. what do you think? >> well, certainly, the battle lines are very drawn. were dealing with, really, a military conflict. im not too troubled by the notion that isis is about to attac...

Inclusive government as rapidly as possible within their own constitutional framework. >> as weve told you, andrea mitchell is on assignment traveling with secretary kerry. shes just filed this report. >> peter, secretary kerry said he got a commitment from all of the leaders he met with today. key leaders near baghdad, including prime minister maliki. that they understand the seriousness and that they are committed to meeting the deadline of the end of this month to create a new government. the...