To think for themselves. The Iraqis that is.
I admit, that I marveled at this little tidbit in the news:
Maliki said he was concerned about military pressure aimed at Iran regarding the country’s nuclear activities, adding he would not permit U.S. forces to use Iraqi land, airspace and waterways as a means for attacking states in the region.
He said the Mideast is in a “fragile” state and “fomenting tension in the region and pushing for military action against Tehran could wreak havoc on the entire region, including Iraq.”
Maliki said diplomacy would be the most effective way to resolve conflict surrounding Iran’s nuclear activities.
Good for him! If the government of Iraq can make a stand and keep its word-it will be real progress and more importantly, it will signal what I have known all along: there is no such thing as a pro-American, beacon of light, Arab nation known as Iraq. There is just another dysfunctional Arab nation known as Iraq.
Of course it begs the question, again, if things are going so well in Iraq as William Krystol frothed at the mouth about as commentators continue to say, and the Iraq army and government are in fact stepping up, why is it that the US has to continue to stay there for years and years?
That is the question that no one has an answer to. Unless-you factor in the need for a staging base against Iran and / or a deterrent presence against the country. Which means , to be effective, you have to show the ability to use the deterrent.
If Malaki can actually make good on a desire not to have Iraq be a US staging base-then that is the best favor he could do himself……and the United States.
Now tell us you can take it from here and we can leave. It would be the best thing you could do for your country, Mr. Malaki. (And it would give you free hand to promote Shiite intersests….).