Nov. 24 (Bloomberg) -- Containing the escalating bloodshed in Iraq will be a ``priority agenda item'' when President George W. Bush meets Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Jordan next week, White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said.

A car bombing killed at least 22 people in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar today as the death toll climbed to 202 from yesterday's explosions in Baghdad, the deadliest coordinated attacks since the U.S.-led invasion of March 2003. About 250 people were wounded.

``These ruthless acts of violence are deplorable,'' Stanzel said. ``It is an outrage that these terrorists are targeting innocents in a brazen effort to topple a democratically elected government, and they will not succeed.''

Bush will meet with Maliki in Amman, Jordan, on Nov. 29 and 30, after he attends a summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Latvia. ``Securing Baghdad and gaining control of the violent situation will be a priority agenda item'' of the meeting in Jordan, Stanzel said. ``The U.S. is committed to helping the Iraqis.''

The violence forced Iraqi President Jalal Talabani to postpone a visit to Iran, where he was scheduled to meet President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad tomorrow, Agence France-Presse reported from Baghdad.

Bush has remained steadfast in his support of Iraq and the prime minister, though the administration has expressed frustration about the increased bombings and civil strife, and the Iraq's government's inability to quell the violence.

U.S. voters expressed their dissatisfaction with the situation in Iraq by ousting Republicans in the House and Senate in the Nov. 7 elections, turning over control of Congress to Democrats for the first time since 1994.

Shiite Threat

In Iraq today, Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr threatened to withdraw from the United Iraqi Alliance and the government if Maliki, a fellow Shiite, meets with Bush in Jordan.

``We have asked Maliki to cancel his meeting with Bush as there is no reason to meet the criminal who is behind the terrorism,'' said Faleh Hasan Shanshai, an aide to Sadr, according to Reuters. ``We will suspend our membership in parliament and the cabinet if he goes ahead.''

The United Iraqi Alliance, a coalition of Shiite political parties, won 128 of the 275 seats in the Iraqi parliament in December's elections. Sunni politicians have accused the Shiite- run Interior Ministry of allowing its police forces to carry out attacks on Sunni civilians.

Bush Meeting

Stanzel said today that Bush ``looks forward to his meeting.'' The threat from Sadr may compound troubles for Maliki, who depends on political support from the cleric and his followers.

Baghdad is the focus of the struggle between Shiite and Sunni factions. About 3,709 civilians were killed last month, most of them in sectarian attacks, the United Nations said two days ago.

``It will be tremendously difficult to find a political solution to a civil war unless there is an overall victor or intervention,'' said Joost Hiltermann, Middle East project director for the International Crisis Group, an independent conflict analysis organization, in a phone interview from Amman, Jordan. ``All bets are off.''

No `Bold Announcement'

Stephen Hadley, the White House National Security adviser told reporters Nov. 21 that Bush wants to hear from Maliki on how to reduce civil strife, curb sectarian violence and increase stability in the Iraqi government. ``We're not looking for a big, bold announcement,'' Hadley said.

Separately, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney left today for Saudi Arabia for talks tomorrow with King Abdullah bin Abd al- Aziz Al Saud to discuss issues of ``mutual interest'' in the Middle East.

Cheney's talks in Saudi Arabia, an Arab ally, may also include stability and democracy in Lebanon after the assassination this week of cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel.

A special high-level panel created by Congress and headed by former Secretary of State James A. Baker III is pulling together recommendations to Bush for a possible shift in U.S. policy in Iraq. The recommendations may be made public next month.

To contact the reporter on this story: Roger Runningen in Washington at rrunningen@bloomberg.net or Robin Stringer in London at rstringer@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 24, 2006 16:51 EST