Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki lashed out yesterday at US Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton who had called for him to be replaced and criticized the US military for killing civilians.

"There are American officials who consider Iraq as if it were one of their villages, for example Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin," Maliki told a news conference.

"This is severe interference in our domestic affairs. Carl Levin and Hillary Clinton are from the Democratic Party and they must demonstrate democracy," he said. "I ask them to come to their senses and to talk in a respectful way about Iraq."

Clinton, a leading candidate to succeed George W. Bush as president, joined Levin, the head of the Senate's Armed Services Committee, in calling last week for Iraq's parliament to replace Maliki for failing to reconcile warring sects.

Maliki also criticized the US military for killing civilians during raids in Shi'ite neighborhoods in Baghdad, which have provoked demonstrations by mourners and condemnation from Shi'ite groups.

"We have said this many times before. When you want to arrest someone it is not acceptable to go there and kill another 10 innocent people or destroy houses. These are violations."

Washington's relations with Maliki have frayed in recent weeks, although Bush says he backs him.

On Tuesday the US Ambassador in Baghdad, Ryan Crocker, called Maliki's government's progress "extremely disappointing". But the following day Bush said: "Prime Minister Maliki is a good guy, a good man, with a difficult job and I support him."

US policy toward Iraq could reach a turning point when Crocker and the US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, give a progress report.

US officials say security is improving somewhat after they dispatched 30,000 extra troops this year, but political reconciliation has stalled.

(Xinhua News Agency August 27, 2007)