Iraqi leadership sees links with Democratic congress

LAT: Iraqi leadership sees links with Democratic congress ("Dem. ideas are more related to reality")

By Borzou Daragahi, Times Staff Writer
5:47 PM PST, January 27, 2007

BAGHDAD, Iraq --

Many pointed out advantages to the Democrats' increased sway over Iraq policy. Officials of the Shiite-led government said they have generally found the Democratic position on handing over security to Iraqi forces sooner rather than later closer to theirs. Almost all agree on Democratic Party initiatives, squashed when Republicans controlled Congress, to prevent the building of permanent U.S. bases here. They note news reports of Democrats acknowledging the suffering of the Iraqi population.

"I see that the Democratic ideas are more related to reality," said Ammar Tu'ma, a Shiite lawmaker who serves in al-Maliki's coalition. "They talk about the real problems that the Iraqis are facing every day."

To date, government officials said, they've also found the Democratic visitors such as Pelosi, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois less parochial, more culturally sensitive and more willing to listen to Iraqi concerns than Republicans.

"Before Bush used to order Iraqi officials to do this and that," said one member of al-Maliki's Dawa Party, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "The Republicans were dictating the political process in Iraq. With the Democrats in control of Congress, the Republicans are now less influential than before. It helps us in a sense to breathe a bit more and to have more freedom."