Obama says Iraq bombings "outrageous"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday that suicide bombings in Baghdad that left 132 people dead were "outrageous" and an attempt to thwart Iraq's progress.

"These bombings serve no purpose other than the murder of innocent men, women and children, and they only reveal the hateful and destructive agenda of those who would deny the Iraqi people the future that they deserve," Obama said in a statement.

The White House said that Obama called Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani after the attacks and pledged that the United States would "stand with the Iraqis."

The phone call took place at 1 p.m. EDT, according to the statement.

Obama said the bombings were "outrageous attacks on the Iraqi people."

"These attempts to derail Iraq's progress are no match for the courage and resilience of the Iraqi people, and their determination to build strong institutions," Obama said.

(Reporting by Caren Bohan; Editing by Eric Walsh)