NYT clarifies ... Translator works for Maliki. Direct translation validates Der Spiegel.

[jefferson_dem]

What now, Booosh-McSame?! Eh? The media will be all over this shit tomorrow, right...?

But the interpreter for the interview works for Mr. Maliki’s office, not the magazine. And in an audio recording of Mr. Maliki’s interview that Der Spiegel provided to The New York Times, Mr. Maliki seemed to state a clear affinity for Mr. Obama’s position, bringing it up on his own in an answer to a general question on troop presence.

The following is a direct translation from the Arabic of Mr. Maliki’s comments by The Times: “Obama’s remarks that — if he takes office — in 16 months he would withdraw the forces, we think that this period could increase or decrease a little, but that it could be suitable to end the presence of the forces in Iraq.”

He continued: “Who wants to exit in a quicker way has a better assessment of the situation in Iraq.”

Mr. Maliki’s top political adviser, Sadiq al-Rikabi, declined to comment on the remarks, but spoke in general about the Iraqi position on Sunday. Part of that position, he said, comes from domestic political pressure to withdraw.

“Foreign soldiers in the middle of the most populated areas are not without their side effects,” he said. “Shouldn’t we look to an end for this unhealthy situation?”

Administration officials expressed confidence on Sunday that Mr. Maliki did not intend to create a rift with Mr. Bush on the issue of withdrawals, saying that both leaders conditioned any troop pullout on improved security in Iraq and would not impose a rigid timetable.

But a senior military official in Iraq said top American commanders expressed surprise and confusion over Mr. Maliki’s published remarks. The official added, however, that no American officers spoke to the Iraqi prime minister or any of his top aides about them.

“This isn’t the first time this has happened with the prime minister,” said the senior military official, noting that Mr. Maliki or his top aides have had to issue clarifications previously of comments that Iraqi or foreign journalists have reported the prime minister said. “All of us were going, ‘What? What did he say, why did he say it and was it accurate?’ ”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/us/politics/21obama.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[Occam Bandage]

1. Wow, the Bush/McCain response was to lie? Shocking!

[scarletwoman]

2. Cool! k&r (nt)

[creeksneakers2]

3. My guess

In a statement issued Friday after a conversation between Bush and al-Maliki by closed-circuit television, the White House said that conditions in Iraq would dictate the pace of the negotiations and not "an arbitrary date for withdrawal."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/19/almaliki.obama/index.html?iref=24hours

The White House denies that the phone call took place. But in sequence the story all makes sense.

Previously, Maliki wanted the US out of Iraq and Bush tried to bully Maliki into signing a status of forces agreement. Could Maliki have decided to endorse Obama's plan as a way to pressure Bush back?

I believe Obama's interview with Der Spiegel took place on Thursday. Suppose the White House got wind of it before the interview was published, possibly from a Der Spiegel call to the White House for reaction. Then it would make sense that Bush would call Maliki on Friday. On Friday the White House suddenly and mysteriously conceded that it would accept a "horizon" for withdrawal from Iraq. Its likely that after Maliki threatened Bush caved and made a deal. Hushing Maliki in the future was part of it.

Der Spiegel couldn't be hushed and published on Saturday. By that time, the US Embassy could contact an Iraqi spokesman and get a retraction because Bush and Maliki's phone call had already sealed that deal for an Iraqi retraction.

The White House denies that any call between Bush and Maliki took place. I think they are lying and what I suggest is what really happened.

[uponit7771]

4. Wouldn't doubt it, Maliki has seriously wounded McSame but IF and only IF Obama takes advantage...

...of it.

[Hope And Change]

5. K & R!