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MALIKI BACKS BARACK OBAMA'S IRAQ PLAN.
To really understand the importance of Maliki's comments, you need to consider their opposite. Imagine if Maliki had walked in front of the cameras and said, "at this stage, a timetable for withdrawal is unrealistic, and we hope our American friends will not bow to domestic political pressures and be hasty in leaving Iraq just as the country improves." It would be a transformative moment in this election. John McCain would talk of nothing else. The cable shows would talk of nothing else. Magazines would run thousands of covers about "Obama's Iraq Problem." Obama would probably lose the race.
Instead, the opposite happened. Maliki, speaking to the German magazine Der Spiegel, said, "U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes." In other words, the head of the Iraqi government endorsed the Obama plan -- both its timetable and its timing -- by name. That's huge. And it's the culmination of a weeks-long effort by the Maliki government to drive their desire for a timetable for withdrawal into the American political conversation. But though they've repeatedly expressed their preference for a timetable for withdrawal, this is the first time they've explicitly supported the plan of one candidate or another.
Fundamentally, Maliki's comment is evidence of what the Iraqi government sees as the primary impediment to their government attaining real legitimacy: Us. The American occupation is hugely unpopular, and if Iraq is to truly stabilize, its government needs to be seen as independent from the occupiers and opposed to their continued presence. McCain needs to either come out with a new Iraq plan featuring a withdrawal component tomorrow, or explain why he believes America should fight for continued military dominance in Iraq over the objections of the American people, the Iraqi people, and the Iraqi government.
COMMENTS (17)
More importantly, Obama will be in Iraq tomorrow. That will be an occasion for Maliki to repeat his comments in front of a camera, but with all the American press there to pick up on it and run with it.
Posted by: benjamin | July 19, 2008 10:20 AM
but with all the American press there to pick up on it and run with it.
I'll believe it when I see it. More likely, they'll posit that Maliki trusts Obama's plan because he thinks he's a Muslim. I mean, he probably saw the cover of The New Yorker too, right?
The only thing predictable about the press this election cycle is that they're stuck on stupid.
Posted by: Jake | July 19, 2008 10:38 AM
may obama and his journey be blessed as he travels to other lands.
G-dspeed, barack.
Posted by: jacqueline | July 19, 2008 11:10 AM
Yes, but please keep in mind that because Maliki said what he said, the media won't cover it at all.
Anything even hinting at a critique of McCain or the GOP is immediately banned from the MSM's coverage of this race.
An "Obama problem" is headline news 24/7, McCain problems simply don't exist.
Posted by: Richardson | July 19, 2008 12:12 PM
I sure wish I was a fly on the ceiling with a video camera at McCain's place to record what he said and did when he was told (if he was) about Maliki's comment on the timetable Obama has proposed.
Talk about being cut off at the knees! Spin THAT, McShame! (I'd bet McCain's team and the WH will claim that either Maliki didn't say that or was taken out of context).
Posted by: JimPortlandOR | July 19, 2008 12:17 PM
SHOCKER!! Fox News! the only MSM site posting this story. I'm speechless!
Posted by: kellie | July 19, 2008 1:01 PM
YAWN
Que sera sera
You'll need to take some prozac
and chill out.
Posted by: Ed De Andrea | July 19, 2008 1:58 PM
WATCH: The spin will be, "McCain was right. McCain's SURGE worked. McCain's strategy brings peace with honor."
Posted by: b cameron | July 19, 2008 4:19 PM
I wish I could believe you on this one, but I don't think the press gives a damn about Maliki either way. The only chance he could possibly have is if they thought it would help McCain -- and even then, I don't think they'd bother.
Posted by: Mike Meginnis | July 19, 2008 4:23 PM
Don't go overboard. If Maliki had said he disagreed with Obama -- and watch for him to start waffling under duress from Bushco -- it would only prove that we need a president who will set Iraq straight. There are ways this election could be lost, but disagreeing with Maliki is not one of them.
Posted by: KC | July 19, 2008 5:27 PM
"See, Malikinijinidad hopes Obama wins!!"
Posted by: gomer | July 19, 2008 5:58 PM
I don't think that's true. Since Maliki is still technically a puppet, it's remarkable that he did not say "we hope our American friends will not ... be hasty in leaving Iraq just as the country improves".
Posted by: Gary Sugar | July 19, 2008 8:06 PM
Like I said,above:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/19/almaliki.obama/index.html
Posted by: KC | July 19, 2008 8:17 PM
Like I said,above:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/19/almaliki.obama/index.html
Posted by: KC | July 19, 2008 8:18 PM
Hay KC
Maybe he was misquoted again? It happened last week and Obama wrote a whole column about being right, then it was found that the Iraqi's were misquoted. Maybe if the MSM were to report fairly you would not make such fool's of yourselves.
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