U.S. seeks 'clarification' on Saudi King Abdullah's Iraq remarks

Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz addresses the closing session of the Arab Summit in Riyadh

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House said Thursday that the US occupation of Iraq is "certainly not" illegitimate, hitting back at Saudi King Abdullah's rhetorical attack on the US military presence in a speech this week.

"When it comes to the coalition forces being in Iraq, we are there under the UN Security Council resolutions and at the invitation of the Iraqi people," spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters.

Asked whether the US military presence in Iraq was illegitimate, as the Saudi king said Wednesday in a speech to the annual Arab summit in Riyadh, Perino replied: "Certainly not."

Asked whether Iraq's population had endorsed the US-led occupation, Perino said "we are there at the invitation of the sovereign government of Iraq."

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