Iraqi backing of Obama plan irks White House

[dkf]

WASHINGTON - The White House expressed unhappiness Monday about Iraqi leaders' public backing for Barack Obama's troop withdrawal timetable. And it said that Baghdad may be trying to use the U.S. presidential election as leverage in talks about the future of American's military presence and obligations in the war.

Washington and Baghdad probably will miss a July 31 target for reaching an agreement, said White House press secretary Dana Perino, characterizing the negotiations as "hard-driving."

"We don't think that talking about specific negotiating tactics or your negotiating position in the press is the best way to negotiate a deal," Perino said after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was quoted in a magazine article supporting the 16-month troop withdrawal timeline proposed by Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate. "However, we understand that they're a sovereign country and they'll be able to do that," Perino said. "We're just not going to do it on our end."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25786952/

[bdamomma]

1. too bad for them.

diplomacy what a refreshing idea.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. The White House is irked?

Gee, what a shame..................

[dkf]

3. Yeah, irking the Bushies is a good place to be.

:)

[uponit7771]

4. They've tried the "we were JUST about to do that" meme but no one took them seriously

[KansDem]

5. Yeah, the White House is "irked" yet it was the WH that leaked Maliki's approval of Obama's plan

Of course, NPR failed to mention that yesterday morning when it reported on how upset the WH was. And I imagine none of the Whoreth Estate mentioned this unpleasantness suffered by the WH was brought on by the WH itself...