Maybe you’d like to rephrase that?

It’s no surprise to anyone who has read my stuff that I support the general doctrine used in the war on terror – go after the terrorists before they come here after us. I strongly believe that the Iraqi theater of this war is crucial to our security and I advocate getting the job done.

This comment by Iraqi PM Al-Maliki, however, has got by hackles up:

The defiant al-Maliki also slammed the top U.S. military and diplomatic representatives in Iraq for their Tuesday press conference, at which they said Iraq needed to set a timetable to curb violence ravaging the country. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said al-Maliki had agreed.

“I affirm that this government represents the will of the people and no one has the right to impose a timetable on it,” al-Maliki said at a news conference.

No one except the people who have been providing the constant security for your government for the past few years and who have a right to expect you to pick up your own burden as quickly as is reasonable, bub. For the record, that would be us.

Al-Sadr and his goons represent the largest destabilizing force currently in Iraq, a position I’ve held since I heard his name the first time well over 2 years ago. He cannot be permitted to do Iran’s bidding and foster terrorism if the Iraqis want peace in their time. His strongholds cannot be permitted to remain to allow his followers bases of operation from which to strike. You would think a Prime Minister would see that.

One wonders why the PM wasn’t consulted (assuming he really wasn’t, for a moment) prior to the operation? Does CentCom consider him a security risk?