Dayton boycotts Iraqi leader's speech
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Minnesota U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton refused to attend the Iraqi prime minister's address to Congress Wednesday. Dayton was one of a handful of Democrats to boycott Nouri al-Maliki's speech, because of al-Maliki's comments blaming Israel for the current conflict with Hezbollah.
Dayton says the prime minister is wrong to blame Israel and absolve Hezbollah. And he said al-Maliki should be back in Iraq, dealing with that country's continuing violence.
"He doesn't need to persuade the American people in a public relations gesture. He needs to show results in his own country, through the actions of his own government, taking responsibility for their country," Dayton says. "We've been there for over three years now. We're waiting for them to get their act together, to get their security forces capable of taking over the responsibility for their own country. He should be back there, leading that country and running it and getting it whipped into shape."
Dayton spoke with MPR's Greta Cunningham.
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