(Updates with quote, background) BAGHDAD, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called on his military commanders on Tuesday to speed up preparations for a security crackdown in Baghdad which he announced nearly a month ago. Sectarian violence has surged in recent weeks, with 1,000 Iraqis reported killed in the last week alone, piling pressure on the government to launch the U.S.-backed offensive as soon as possible. "I call on you to quickly finish the preparations so that we don't disappoint people," he told Iraqi generals, assuring them they would be free to operate without political interference. Maliki has said previously the operation will target militants regardless of their religious persuasion, answering criticism that a previous crackdown failed because his Shi'ite-led government stopped U.S. troops going after Shi'ite militias. "Either we all win, or we all lose. The whole world is watching us and expecting us to win," he told the generals. A U.S. general urged Iraqis at the weekend to be patient, saying it would take time to get Iraqi and U.S. troops in place before the operation could begin. U.S. President George W. Bush has committed 17,500 more troops to stabilise Baghdad.
