Iraq Political Solution: Benchmarks, smenchmarks.
There was a ray of hope yesterday from CNN with this story on a move by leaders in Iraq to come to a settlement, but it looked so familiar to other stories over the past year. Then, Reuter’s breaks a story of an actual agreement:
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s top Shi’ite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish political leaders announced on Sunday they had reached consensus on some key measures seen as vital to fostering national reconciliation.
The agreement by the five leaders was one of the most significant political developments in Iraq for months and was quickly welcomed by the United States, which hopes such moves will ease sectarian violence that has killed tens of thousands.
This comes on the heels of Prime Minister Maliki’s condemnation of Sen. Carl Levin and Sen. Hillary Clinton:
Maliki hit back on Sunday, saying: “There are American officials who consider Iraq as if it were one of their villages, for example Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin.”
“This is severe interference in our domestic affairs. Carl Levin and Hillary Clinton are from the Democratic Party and they must demonstrate democracy,” he said. “I ask them to come to their senses and to talk in a respectful way about Iraq.”
Mr. Maliki was thought to be rude and obstinate, but in light of real progress, his comments seem almost moderate.
I’ll give a hat tip to Captain’s Quarters on this one. I saw Captain Ed’s post and started searching the news outlets for more. But alas, the blogosphere once again proves it has more news and analysis.
As Captain Ed asks, what will the Dems do now? Jim at Thinking Right has a pretty good idea:
My guess is that one of three things will happen.
1. The Democrats will quietly pass another funding bill for operations in Iraq, and will hope that their past comments and actions will slip quietly from the consciousness of the American public.
2. They will say that progress has been made both militarily, and on the political front, but it is not happening fast enough.
3. They will say that since there’s been progress made both on the security front and the political front that our mission is accomplished, and it is time to pull our troops out and let Iraq defend itself.
I would add a fourth option, that they will say the pressure they applied, by agitating to sell them out to certain destruction, caused Maliki’s government to take the death and destruction in their streets seriously.
And yet a fifth option for the Dems: Hey, what about all those people without health insurance?
Meanwhile, proving the left has nothing but bad timing, Kdoug at the Daily Kos issued this just hours before the breakthrough:
I think that America is so tired of this war and so uninvolved that they will support the installation of a nice brand new dictator.
Ayad Allawi speaks good English, shaves and as far as the awareness of most Americans is currently the ‘duly elected leader’ of Iraq anyway …
Now with Democrats Carl Levin and Hillary (front runner) Clinton taking the heat off Bush by blaming Malaki this guy will be a shoo in!
So while the GOP lobbies to get their brand new Dictator (warning PDF) of choice President Bush in is inimitable oblivious way is saying:
Kdoug, you should have waited a few hours.
