The Iraqi prime minister has defended his decision to send troops to the volatile Anbar province to fight against what he calls the al-Qaeda-affiliated militants. Nouri al-Maliki stressed that the fight against terrorism would continue in the western province and the army is committed to hunting down the militants and armed groups. His statements came after security forces dismantled an anti-government protest site in the city of Ramadi on Monday. The government said the site had become a breeding ground for pro-al-Qaeda militants. Maliki added that the crisis has threatened Iraq\\\'s national security. He accused some political groups of fanning the flames of sectarianism in the province Show Less >>