Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has criticised the US President George W Bush and his Iraq policy, claiming Iraqi forces would have better control of their country if they had been better equipped by the US.
In an interview published today by Italian daily
Corriere della Sera
Mr Maliki said that the situation would not be so dire if the Americans had moved faster.
Smoke rises at the scene of a bomb attack which targeted a police patrol in Baghdad today.
"The situation would be much better if the United States had immediately sent our security forces more adequate weapons and equipment.
"If they had committed themselves more and with greater speed we would have had a lot fewer deaths among Iraqi civilians and American soldiers," Mr Maliki said.
The premier stopped short of openly criticising US President George W. Bush's plan to send 21,500 more troops to join the estimated 130,000 already there.
"We have to see how the situation in the field will go," he said. "We cannot rule out that the situation will drastically improve, allowing US troops to leave the country in great numbers in three to six months."
Mr Maliki added that Mr Bush had capitulated to domestic pressure when he criticised the hanging of former leader Saddam Hussein.
Earlier today a series of explosions and shootings rocked Baghdad, killing at least 19 people and wounding dozens.
Three car bombs detonated within minutes of each other near a vegetable market in the predominantly Sunni neighbourhood of Dora in southern Baghdad. At least 10 people died and 30 were wounded.
Another bomb exploded in central Baghdad at rush hour, killing four people and wounding 11, while a parked car later struck a busy thoroughfare in a religiously mixed area in central Baghdad, killing four people and wounding 10.
The blast burned many cars and shattered the windows of nearby stores.
Gunmen also opened fire on an Iraqi police patrol near al-Shaab stadium in eastern Baghdad, killing one policeman and wounding another.