US policy switch will test weak Iraqi prime minister
Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister of Iraq, has one of the most difficult political jobs in the world. Last week, thanks to a series of events in Washington, it became even harder.
With public support for President Bush’s ‘‘stay the course’’ policy rapidly dwindling, the US seems set to withdraw its troops from Iraq as soon as it decently can. Officially, Maliki’s government insists that its own military personnel will be able to maintain security.
In reality, however, the likelihood is that such a move will further weaken Maliki’s already fragile position. Although Bush declared that Maliki was ‘‘the right guy for the job’’ at ...
