Bloodshed piles pressure on Iraqi PM, Bush

[madokie]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061120/ts_nm/iraq1_dc

By Aseel Kami

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Gunmen killed a much-loved Iraqi comedian on Monday as attacks and kidnaps of senior politicians and dozens of ordinary people prompted the defence minister to declare that Iraq was now in a "state of war."

As pressure mounts on U.S. President George W. Bush to try a new tack and allies urge him to approach Syria and Iran to help, Iraq said Syria's visiting foreign minister was about to restore diplomatic relations after a quarter-century of frost and the Iraqi president prepared to visit Iran this week.

The Iraqi government spokesman said talks with Syria's Walid al-Moualem had produced a deal to set up a joint security committee and boost trade and added "The first step is restoring diplomatic relations before the delegation leaves, God willing."

An Iraqi presidential spokesman confirmed that President Jalal Talabani had accepted a long-standing invitation from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and said he would lead a delegation to Tehran on Saturday with a wide-ranging agenda.