I’m not sure what your argument is. You evidently want us out of Iraq. Maliki wants us out of Iraq. Instapundit wants us out of Iraq. I want us out of Iraq. The only one who still wants us there is Mohammad Fadihili who quite rightly foresees a blood bath when we leave because I don’t think that Maliki is as strong (and stable) yet as he’s making out he is.

Instapundit wants us to leave through Tehran and Riyadh. I sort of think we don’t actually need to hike through those particular sandy deserts as we make our adieu’s, but it would certainly be remiss of us not to leave them some nice explosive farewell presents.

For what it’s worth, I want us out of Iraq because I have come to the conclusion that they’re not worth the time, effort and expense for us to keep supporting the cause of Iraqi democracy — the country’s too stupid, too backward, too evil, too lazy, and I don’t want to spend another red cent on a place where they (still) think that honor killings are the right thing to do. I have a feeling your desire to pull American troops out is something entirely different from that which is why I think you’re a wannabe trouble-maker.

Iraqis who think the Surge has been succesful: 27% (pg. 59)
unsuccesful: 53% (pg.59)

Iraqis who want the Coalition forces to stay: 21% (pg. 62)
Iraqis who want them to leave: 70% (pg.62)

To:
“OK, it’s true, but it’s a really bad idea and if the Iraqis want us to leave, screw them.”

Nicely done. Even a third grader could catch you on that weaselly evasion. I guess I’ll have to wait longer for your apology for calling me “silly”, yes? How very principled of you.
I’ve read Fadhil’s piece in PJM. You’ll note that he concludes with the following:

“Frankly, I’m disappointed by Maliki’s unjustified maneuver. Gambling with the future of nation and its people is an insult that will cast a shadow on his record as a leader of Iraq.”

A to Iraqi public opinion: The most recent data I can find is from March of 2007, a BBC poll in which 78% of the population opposes the “the presence of Coalition forces in Iraq”:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/19_03_07_iraqpollnew.pdf

Can you find anything more recent? What if Maliki’s decision is popular with the Iraqi people? Is he not a politician?

PS I think you’re trying to be a spinmeister, but you’re not very good at it.

I’m also seeing Instapundit make repeated suggestions that if they want us to withdraw, we should cheerfully wish them adieu and best of luck and do so. I agree.

Maliki has obviously never read the Chinese fortune cookie about “be careful what you wish for …”

Here’s USAToday (AP):
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2008-07-08-Iraq-withdraw-dates_N.htm#

Here’s the Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/08/AR2008070801311.html

And if they’re too biased for you, here’s the Voice of America:
http://voanews.com/english/2008-07-08-voa35.cfm

Burying your head won’t make it go away Nahncee. If you can post a story where Maliki says he was misquoted, that would be appreciated.

Here’s USAToday (AP):
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2008-07-08-Iraq-withdraw-dates_N.htm#

Here’s the Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/08/AR2008070801311.html

And if they’re too biased for you, here’s the Voice of America:
http://voanews.com/english/2008-07-08-voa35.cfm

Burying your head won’t make it go away Nahncee.

No more then Stalin would have sold Hitler the wheat to fill the bellies of Nazi Stormtroopers.

I think ones definition of ‘harm Israel’ is pretty much critical to this discussion.
There is a small part of the Jewish body politic that see Israel as a Zionist experiment that needs to be abandoned. They see what we would consider the destruction of Israel as the removal of a stain from the Jewish soul. They feel that Jews are REQUIRED to be victims as atonement for abandoning god and that Jews fighting back is ‘unjewish’.
To this subset of Jews, Isreal being overran is a good thing.

http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2003/03/13/neturei_karta/index.html

The world is full of wackkos. Why shouldn’t rich wackko Jews have a seat with the other rich non-Jewish wackkos?

Meanwhile, back at the election. Ohhhh…..BAMA IS NOT BLACK. His father was about 87.4% Arabic, which the US government classifies as white for entitlement purposes.
If Ohhhh……BAMA received any grant money based on his being ‘black’ he did so fraudulently. That is why he won’t give permission to have his birth certificate released.
Only Muslims consider him a Muslim. Other religions allow choice and respect that choice. Islam is the religion of no choice.
So I doubt that any ultra-orthodox Jews would consider him a Muslim. Christians shouldn’t. He obviously doesn’t.

As far as your rich wackko jews supporting Ohhhh…..BAMA, rich people do stooopid things too. Look at all the mega rich that supported Hitler. Of course a few years later, Gestapo thugs showed up and then they became considerably less rich, but that is a different fable.
Read “This way to the gas”.

July 7, 2008
Iraqi Talks of Withdrawal Timetable
By REUTERS
Filed at 10:54 a.m. ET

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki raised the prospect on Monday of setting a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops as part of negotiations over a new security agreement with Washington.

It was the first time the U.S.-backed Shi’ite-led government has floated the idea of a timetable for the removal of American forces from Iraq. The Bush administration has always opposed such a move, saying it would give militant groups an advantage.

The security deal under negotiation will replace a U.N. mandate for the presence of U.S. troops that expires on December 31.

“Today, we are looking at the necessity of terminating the foreign presence on Iraqi lands and restoring full sovereignty,” Maliki told Arab ambassadors in blunt remarks during an official visit to Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates.

“One of the two basic topics is either to have a memorandum of understanding for the departure of forces or a memorandum of understanding to set a timetable for the presence of the forces, so that we know (their presence) will end in a specific time.”

Maliki was responding to questions from the ambassadors about the security negotiations with the United States. The exchange was shown on Iraqiya state television.

U.S. officials in Baghdad had no immediate comment. Last month Maliki caught Washington off guard when he said talks on the security deal were at a “dead end” after he complained Iraq’s sovereignty was being infringed by U.S. demands.