Jul 25, 2008
Story Timeline: 81 days
My opinion Charles Krauthammer Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.25.2008 WASHINGTON In a stunning upset, Barack Obama this week won the Iraq primary. When Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki not once but several times expressed support for a U.S. troop withdrawal on a timetable that accorded roughly with Obama's 16-month proposal, he not only legitimized the plan, he relieved Obama of a major political liability by blunting the charge that, in order to appease the MoveOn left, Obama was willing to jeopardize the astonishing success of the surge and risk losing a war that is finally being won. Al-Maliki's endorsement left the McCain campaign and the Bush administration deeply discomfited. They underestimated al-Maliki's sophistication and cunning. What is al-Maliki thinking? Clearly, he believes that the Iraq War is won. Al-Qaida is...
[read full story]