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Don Lemon throws to Michael for a final summation of the Iranian president's trip.
DON LEMON:
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has left Iraq, and he says the
Americans should, too. The Iranian president has
wrapped up a landmark trip in which he slammed the
U.S. and virtually shunned his own security.
Let's go straight now to Baghdad and CNN's Michael
Ware -- Michael.
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Don, that's
right. The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,
took less than 36 hours to essentially steal the
show. From the moment he landed until the moment he
left, he held Iraq's attention, and also that of
Washington and much of the world. In many ways, the
symbolism of this trip is vital.
Certainly no major agreements were reached, although
some deals were done. The importance here is that
this is the first time an Iranian president has set
foot in Baghdad since the Islamic Revolution in 1979,
or since the invasion of Iraq by U.S. forces.
Now, this marks two successes. One, over the executed
dictator Saddam Hussein, who waged a vicious
eight-year war against Iran. But it also marks a
perceived success by Iran against the United States.
Both countries are pursuing influence here in Iraq.
And many people, including some in the U.S. mission
at very senior levels, believe that Iran right now
has the edge. Indeed, some very senior officials have
told me in the past that of the last six years, Iran
is the big winner.
Now, that's very much the way President Ahmadinejad
came here. He announced his visit two weeks ago. He
came on the day and the time he said he would come.
He drove from the airport, didn't fly, like everyone
else. He didn't hide out in the Green Zone or seek
harbor in a military compound.
Instead, he was in what the Americans call the Red
Zone. Such is his and his country's confidence in
their influence and authority here. Indeed, this
Iraqi government is made up of political parties,
most of whom have direct ties to Iran, if not
actually created in Iran and sent back here to
Baghdad. Certainly after the invasion, it was
Iranian-backed groups who filled the void.
And according to the U.S. military, Iran is backing
militias who, as of the end of last year, each month,
were killing more American soldiers than al Qaeda or
the Sunni insurgency. These are claims that their
president simply brushes away. Indeed, he says
America's presence in this country is an insult to
the Arab nations of the region and a humiliation, and
America should just pack up now and leave. Of course,
none of this is unrelated to Iran's pursuit of
nuclear energy -- Don.
LEMON: Michael Ware in Baghdad. Thank you,
Michael.