(Recasts after Maliki-Khalilzad meeting, adds soldier killed) By Alastair Macdonald BAGHDAD, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Iraq's prime minister and the U.S. ambassador declared common goals on Friday after days of public wrangling that raised new questions about Iraq policy before next month's U.S. congressional elections. In a joint statement after a meeting with U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said his government had "timelines" for political developments -- employing the word at the heart of the debate. But Iraqi officials, who say Maliki was angered this week when Khalilzad seemed to assure impatient American voters that the Iraqi leader was following a U.S.-backed timetable of performance "benchmarks", insisted that any "timelines" were a purely Iraqi initiative and did not commit Maliki to action. Nonetheless, the statement may ease electoral pressure on U.S. President George W. Bush and his officials, who were left struggling to explain their exit strategy from Iraq after Maliki denied he was working to a schedule and sharply criticised U.S. security policy, saying he could do better if given more leeway. "The Iraqi government has made clear the issues that must be resolved with timelines for them to take positive steps forward on behalf of the Iraqi people," it said. "The United States fully supports their goals and will help make them a success." Washington is anxious for Maliki, a Shi'ite Islamist, to crack down on Shi'ite militia death squads blamed for much of the killing. U.S. troops made a foray into a Baghdad militia stronghold on Friday, hunting for a kidnapped U.S. soldier of Iraqi origin. A raid there two days earlier drew a sharp rebuke from Maliki. Khalilzad had told a televised news conference on Tuesday that Iraqi leaders had "committed themselves to a timeline for making ... decisions". Maliki responded two days later: "we do not believe in a timetable and no one will impose one on us". Bush told a White House news conference Iraqi leaders had agreed to a "schedule" and reminded Maliki that his patience was "not unlimited" and his support for the prime minister conditional on him making "tough decisions". CASUALTY TOLL Bush's Republicans risk losing control of Congress in elections on Nov. 7, with dismay over the occupation of Iraq a major factor. Another U.S. soldier's death was announced on Friday, taking the toll for October so far to 97, which is 10 short of the deadliest month in nearly two years. Maliki, conscious of domestic pressure to distance himself from increasingly unpopular U.S. relations, responded to Bush on Thursday by insisting any "timelines", such as for the amendment of the constitution by parliament, were of Iraqi making. "It is not a timetable for the government but rather the issues needing to be solved," Maliki told Reuters. After the statement was issued on Friday, a government official told Reuters the Iraqi position had not changed and irritation remained with U.S. comments that were seen in Baghdad as part of "an electoral agenda" in the United States. "No one has a right to impose any timeline on us," he said. U.S. forces ventured into Sadr City, Baghdad stronghold of a powerful Shi'ite militia, the Mehdi Army of young cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, which is a particular focus of concern in Washington. Maliki, whose appointment six months ago was due to critical support from Sadr, has said the cleric has forsworn violence. Witnesses and two officials of the Mehdi Army said there was a strong U.S. troop presence backed by air support. They reported clashes but it was not clear who was involved. "It's ongoing operations specifically related to the search for the missing soldier," said Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Garver. Maliki said on Thursday he could get violence under control in six months if U.S. forces gave his forces more weapons and responsibility. He also said his priority was fighting Sunni insurgentsand al Qaeda, rather than disarming Shi'ite militias. (Additional reporting by Mariam Karouny, Ahmed Rasheed, Paul Holmes, Ibon Villelabeitia and Claudia Parsons)
