Michael Gordon has gotten ahold of a memo that Stephen Hadley wrote for Bush about Iraq. Hadley doesn't have nice things to say about Iraq PM Nuri Kamal al-Maliki.
"His intentions seem good when he talks with Americans, and sensitive reporting suggests he is trying to stand up to the Shia hierarchy and force positive change,” the memo said of the Iraqi leader. “But the reality on the streets of Baghdad suggests Maliki is either ignorant of what is going on, misrepresenting his intentions, or that his capabilities are not yet sufficient to turn his good intentions into action."
So let me get this straight. Bush says that things are going ok in Iraq, it's just Al Queda that's the problem. Meanwhile, he's getting unvarnished memos from his National Security Adviser saying that Maliki is either "ignorant" (aka stupid), "misrepresenting" (aka lying), or incapable of getting things done.
Wait, is Hadley writing about Maliki or is it Bush? Maybe they're made for each other.
The Times has treasonously published the memo. Now that the insurgents know that Maliki doesn't have things under control, they are SURE to bring on extra attacks to bring down the government.
So what oughta Bush do about this? Apparently the memo suggests getting Saudi Arabia involved.
Addressing Mr. Bush, the memo said one option was for the president to “direct your cabinet to begin an intensive press on Saudi Arabia to play a leadership role on Iraq, connecting this role with other areas in which Saudi Arabia wants to see U.S. action. Although the memo did not offer specifics, this appeared to be an allusion to a more active American role in the Arab-Israeli peace process.”
But wait a minute. I thought Saudi Arabia just summoned Cheney to lay into Bush for his incompetence in getting anything done in Iraq. Who's running the show here?
Anyway, long story short, somebody from the Bush administration has leaked this memo, and the Times is running with it. Yet another signal from the Bush administration that Maliki is on a short leash and it's getting shorter. Looks like maybe they are throwing him an anvil ... stay tuned.