Two leaders that dislike each other.


Relations between the top United States general in Iraq and Nouri al-Maliki, the country's prime minister, are so bad that the Iraqi leader made a direct appeal for his removal to President George W Bush.

Although the call was rejected, aides to both men admit that Mr Maliki and Gen David Petraeus engage in frequent stand-up shouting matches, differing particularly over the US general's moves to arm Sunni tribesmen to fight al-Qa'eda.


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That seems kind of counter-productive to have a general butting heads with Maliki constantly. Just because it's our policy doesn't mean it's a good policy for Iraq. How many policies have we been wrong about up to this point? Maybe it's a case of Iraqi's getting tired of our BS.

I think it is more that Patraeus is siding with the sunni in Anbar and Maliki being a shi'a thinks he is being underminded.

It's clear the Iraqi's feel pressured into jumping through our hoops. The harder we push, the more they resent our policies. Patraeus is only going to push them so far. If they don't like our policies turn the damn sandbox over to them so they can make the decisions themselves. IMO.

I think Maliki is trying to appear 'presidential' for the media.

Well, he isn't a very good actor then becaue he isn't fooling anyone.

He does not have fool anybody, I think he just has to keep the media and the rest off balance. That is his job for now and Washington needs the misdirection badly.

Our continued support for an unpopular leader only undermines our effort there. If he can't lead his country, propping him up against his opposition only makes matters worse for us and delays the unification of all the waring factions in Iraq.