http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,566914,00.htmlIn the interview, Maliki expressed support of Obama's plan to withdraw US troops from Iraq within 16 months. "That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of changes."
Maliki was quick to back away from an outright endorsement of Obama, saying "who they choose as their president is the Americans' business." But he then went on to say: "But it's the business of Iraqis to say what they want. And that's where the people and the government are in general agreement: The tenure of the coalition troops in Iraq should be limited."
A Baghdad government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said in a statement that SPIEGEL had "misunderstood and mistranslated" the Iraqi prime minister, but didn't point to where the misunderstanding or mistranslation might have occurred. Al-Dabbagh said Maliki's comments "should not be understood as support to any US presidential candidates." The statement was sent out by the press desk of the US-led Multinational Force in Iraq.
A number of media outlets likewise professed to being confused by the statement from Maliki's office. The New York Times pointed out that al-Dabbagh's statement "did not address a specific error." CBS likewise expressed disbelief pointing out that Maliki mentions a timeframe for withdrawal three times in the interview and then asks, "how likely is it that SPIEGEL mistranslated three separate comments? Matthew Yglesias, a blogger for the Atlantic Monthly, was astonished by "how little effort was made" to make the Baghdad denial convincing. And the influential blog IraqSlogger also pointed out the lack of specifics in the government statement.
BobG said:Don't worry, it'll get worse. Republicans still need to figure out how to drag an unpopular, lame duck President through the convention unnoticed (Party Crasher). Suggestions range from having Bush speak Sunday night (the convention starts Monday) to, more realistically, surround Bush with his family, from the more popular Bush 41 to the very popular Laura Bush. Ten of the 12 Republican Senators facing a close election fight this fall have suddenly found conflicts that prevent them from attending the convention.
mgb_phys said:Isn't the comment more damaging to Obama?
Brown person attempting to become president (all brown people are terrorists!)
Brown president of terrorist country thanks Obama for promising to remove troops
Troops are only thing stopping terrorists
Therefore Obama is a terrorist
russ_watters said:I don't see how an endorsement by a foreign head of state can "cripple" McCain's campaign. Obama got a boost in the polls from his trip due to the high profile nature, but it certainly doesn't guarantee him the win.
mgb_phys said:Isn't the comment more damaging to Obama?
Brown person attempting to become president (all brown people are terrorists!)
Brown president of terrorist country thanks Obama for promising to remove troops
Troops are only thing stopping terrorists
Therefore Obama is a terrorist
Like the 25%that believe he's muslim, or the 50% that believe Iraq was behind 9/11.lisab said:It's only damaging to Obama in people whose thought process is extraordinarily, um, bendy...
mgb_phys said:Like the 25%that believe he's muslim, or the 50% that believe Iraq was behind 9/11.
The statement refers to a comment made by the Prime Minister of Iraq, Nouri al-Maliki, in 2008 which was seen as a criticism of then US presidential candidate John McCain's foreign policy stance on the Iraq War. This was a contentious issue in the US presidential campaign and was seen as a blow to McCain's credibility on the topic.
The comment was seen as damaging to McCain's campaign as it undermined his claims of success in the Iraq War and called into question his understanding of the situation in Iraq. It also caused a political backlash in the US, with many viewing it as interference in the American election.
No, there were many other factors that contributed to McCain's campaign struggles, including a struggling economy and the popularity of his opponent, Barack Obama. However, the Iraq PM's comment was seen as a significant blow to McCain's campaign and added to the challenges he faced in winning the election.
The comment did not have any major long-term effects on McCain's political career. He continued to serve as a senator for several years after the 2008 election and remained a prominent figure in the Republican party. However, it did add to the criticisms and doubts surrounding his foreign policy expertise.
The media covered the incident extensively, with many news outlets highlighting the potential impact of the comment on the US presidential election. There were also debates and discussions about the validity of the comment and its potential consequences for McCain's campaign. It was a highly publicized event that received widespread attention.