US Vice President Joe Biden (file pic)
US Vice President Joe Biden has called Iraq's prime minister and parliamentary speaker as leaders in both countries fret about escalating sectarian violence and its ties to al-Qaida.
The White House says Biden told Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki the U.S. stands with Iraq against the local al-Qaida branch that has overrun Fallujah. The White House says al-Maliki affirmed it was important to work with Sunni groups to isolate extremists.
Biden also spoke with Parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, a Sunni leader. The White House says the two discussed ways to sustain cooperation between Sunni communities and the Shiite-led government, and that Al-Nujaifi said he's committed to fighting terrorism.
The White House says the U.S. is assisting but that troops shouldn't be sent in. The fighting comes two years after American forces departed.