Demonstrators outside the White House as U.S. president Barack Obama meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. The Iraqi Prime Minister is on his first visit to Washington in two years. He is seeking help. He is urgently seeking Apache attack helicopters and other U.S. military equipment to fight al Qaeda militants as sectarian violence spills over the border from Syria.

(SOUNDBITE)(English with Arabic interpretation) PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SAYING:

"Much of our discussion centered on the fact that although Iraq has made significant progress in areas like oil production and a range of other reforms that have taken place, unfortunately al-Qaeda has still been active and has grown more active recently."

Maliki called the the talks "very positive"

It's a welcome development for a Prime Minister facing rising violence with more than 6,000 people killed this year amid sectarian tensions.

After the meetings the two nations issued a joint statement on the u