In Iraq, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is denying the Bush administration’s claim he’s agreed to several benchmarks aimed at bringing stability and security. Maliki says no timetable has been reached and that he would not accept one on his sovereign government. His comments come one day after US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said Iraq had accepted a timeline on meeting several goals, including dealing with militia groups and solving disputes over the constitution. But in an apparent reference to the Republicans’ woes ahead of next month’s mid-term elections, Maliki said Khalilzad’s statement is the result: “of elections taking place right now that do not involve us.” Maliki also criticized a US raid on the Sadr City district of Baghdad that left at least six dead and more than twenty wounded. Maliki says he had no prior knowledge of the attack and is demanding an explanation.