Iraq note

The most recent wave of violence in Iraq strengthens the case for sticking to the timetable and withdrawing all U.S. soldiers from Iraq by the end of this calendar year. It might be tempting to think that keeping a U.S. military presence in the country in an 'advisory' capacity after Dec. 2011 would have a pacifying effect, but it's more likely to have the opposite. It's somewhat hard to imagine, in any case, Maliki making the explicit request that would be required, given the political realities he's facing.