Iraq: Maliki 'mistranslated' on pullout

BAGHDAD, July 19 (UPI) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was "mistranslated" in a report that he favors Barack Obama's plan to withdraw U.S. troops, an Iraqi spokesman said.

Der Spiegel reported Saturday that Maliki, in an interview with the German news magazine, said U.S. troops should leave Iraq "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned."

"U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months," Maliki said. "That, we think, would be the right time frame for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

Maliki stressed that he was not endorsing Obama, the likely Democratic presidential nominee.