Some Potential

I see that Iraq Prime Minsister Nouri Al Maliki stated that US troops are free to leave whenever they want and that he believes that his security forces can handle the job. While I suspect this is a move to give his government some semblance of credebility, a smart person in the Bush Administration might use this as a springboard for disengagement. Just say, "We disagree with the PM on the readiness of his forces, but we are not the ruler of this country, he is, and in keeping with our policy of not being an occupying army yada yada..vamoose"

The PM's statment creates an opportunity, but also creates some risk. We have now been shown the door. If we remain, we risk reinforcing the image that we are occupying Iraq without the consent of its people.