"The message here of the United States is quite simple. There is a sovereign government in Iraq and our job is to support that government as best we can," US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage told a news conference while on a 24-hour trip to Baghdad.

Asked what had changed since the US-led coalition handed power to an interim Iraqi government three weeks ago, Armitage said: "The difference is that we are not in the front seat anymore with our hand on the steering wheel.

"We are a supporting partner to a sovereign government. They make the decisions."

To that end, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi gave the US-led military the nod to launch an air strike on the rebel bastion of Fallujah, 50 kilometresmiles) west of Baghdad, in the early hours of the morning.

"We worked with the government, the government was fully informed about these matters and agreed with us on the need to conduct the action," Armitage said.

"We did not just strike off on our own. The sovereign nation had to agree."

The US military said its aircraft targeted a suspected hideout of wanted Islamic militant Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi where some 25 suspects had set up an illegal roadblock.

Armitage, who met earlier in the day with Allawi and President Sheikh Ghazi al-Yawar, reiterated comments made on Saturday by the new US ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte, that security, timely elections and rebuilding the country's war-battered economy were Washington's top priorities.

An encouraging sign of Iraq's newfound desire to reintegrate with the international community as a sovereign power, was an announcement due on Monday to nominate 43 Iraqi ambassadors around the world, Armitage said.

The senior US official, who arrived early in the afternoon, was due to leave Iraq on Monday, an official at the American embassy said.

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