Iraqi pol to LA Times: US "Democratic ideas are more related to reality."

[BurtWorm]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraqdems28jan28,0,4971850.story?coll=la-home-world

A top government official close to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), who ended a brief visit to Iraq on Saturday, said the Bush administration remains the final arbiter of decisions on how much continued U.S. military and financial support the Iraqis receive.

But the election that changed the political dynamic in Washington also altered the rules of the game here. Iraqi leaders studied and discussed the possibility of a Democratic takeover for months before the vote. They concluded early that even the most staunchly antiwar Democrats would not abandon Iraq. In heated discussions, lawmakers reminded one another that it was Democratic President Clinton who signed the 1998 Iraq Liberation Act, which funded the opposition movements now in power.

The Shiite Muslim leadership has informally recommended to ministerial and parliamentary delegations heading to Washington that they cultivate closer relationships with Democrats as well as Republicans.

"They have to see people from both sides, because they are both taking part in the administration of the country," Adeeb said. "Whoever is a decision-maker in America, we have to have relations with."

Many pointed out advantages to the Democrats' increased sway over Iraq policy. Government officials said they had generally found the Democratic position on handing over security to Iraqi forces sooner rather than later closer to theirs. Almost all agree on Democratic Party initiatives, squashed when Republicans controlled Congress, to prevent the building of permanent U.S. bases here. They note news reports of Democrats acknowledging the suffering of the Iraqi population.

"I see that the Democratic ideas are more related to reality," said Ammar Tuma, a lawmaker who serves in Maliki's ruling Shiite coalition. "They talk about the real problems that the Iraqis are facing every day."

[ohio2007]

1. Can the Iraqi govt stand alone by '09 ?

can the next admin start the downsize,or at least redeploy out of the Iraqi urban dwellers faces ?
-tough love time

[hashibabba]

4. The Dems are talking about beginning to deploy the troops

within 6 months. That sounds good to me!

[KingFlorez]

2. That really says a lot

[peekaloo]

3. k& r

:-)

[BurtWorm]

5. kick