Iraq asserts itself -- so listen
PRESIDENT BUSH, John McCain, and other proponents of an open-ended American troop presence in Iraq might not appreciate it right now, but Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was acting like an accountable politician earlier this week when he called for a timetable for withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.
If there is one thing nearly all the major parties, sects, and factions in Iraq agree upon, it is on the need for such a timetable. With provincial elections coming this fall in Iraq and nationwide elections scheduled for 2009, Maliki was doing what any politician interested in self-preservation would do. Faced with a choice between pandering to Bush or to the voters of Iraq, he chose to please his own people.
Instead of trying to pretend that Maliki didn't really mean what he said, Bush and McCain ought to recognize that Maliki's demand for a timetable means the robust plant of politics has begun to take root in Iraq. Isn't this what Bush said the US invasion and occupation of Iraq was really about - conferring popular sovereignty on a nation long subjected to despotism, and teaching Iraqis how to seek consensus in the sphere of politics?
It would be hypocritical of the Bush administration to deny or dodge Maliki's request, which reflects the popular will in Iraq. What's more, it is as much in America's true interests as Iraq's to begin planning the timing, logistics, and regional diplomacy of a withdrawal.
Recent developments in Iraq have greatly diminished the chances that a US withdrawal will usher in a sectarian bloodbath, a victory for Al Qaeda, or a debilitating loss of American credibility. Sunni Arab tribal leaders, furious at the depredations of Al Qaeda fanatics, have made more than 90,000 fighters available for the purpose of crushing Al Qaeda. These fighters, who are paid by the United States, have done a good job. Al Qaeda terrorists may linger in Iraq for a while, but they are basically a spent force.
Meanwhile, Maliki's proven willingness to subdue the militias of Moqtada al-Sadr and other Shi'ite factions has persuaded Sunni Arabs to defend their interests by entering the political game - rather than pursuing a hopeless fantasy of recapturing state power by force. Sectarian warfare is giving way to political struggles for influence.
So the time has come for America to rescue its reputation by heeding the will of Iraqis and preparing to end the occupation of their country. 