(CNN) -- Former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said in an interview with CNN that Iraq is powerless to respond to foreign military strikes, such as those by Turkey and Iran, because Iraq has no army, no air force, and no clear foreign policy.
Allawi said there is a political vacuum in Iraq and that it is important to expedite the formation of a new government. But, he said, "I think we are still far away from this".
The Turkish military said this week it sent three commando divisions and a special forces brigade two or three kilometers into Iraqi territory in pursuit of Kurdish rebels. The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Thursday that troops have now completely withdrawn.
Neighboring Iran has staged a series of military strikes against Iraq's Kurds, targeting rebels it says are attacking Iran. When asked about Iran's recent bombings of the town of Ali Rash, near the Iran-Iraq border, Allawi suggested holding negotiations with Tehran "to try to find a solution to the problem".
