It just occurred to me what Nouri al-Maliki, the Shia Prime Minister of Iraq, President George W. Bush, Senator John McCain and the Republican Party may be up to with al-Maliki’s sudden demand for a withdraw date of American troops from his country.

Yesterday, Nouri al-Maliki, the Shia Prime Minister, who boasted last week that he had crushed terrorism in the country, ‘suggested’ that it was time to start setting time-lines.

“The current trend is to reach an agreement on a memorandum of understanding either for the departure of the forces or to put a timetable on their withdrawal,” Mr al-Maliki said during a visit to the United Arab Emirates.

This sudden demand comes before Iraqi provincial elections later this year, and may be a political strategy for the Prime Minister’s campaign to be reelected.  It also comes during Senator John McCain and the Republican Party’s fight to keep control of the White House in November.

Both parties benefit having their voters ‘thinking’ that the war in Iraq is about to come to an end.  Having the news media reporting that there are negotiations going on, discussing a ‘possible’ withdraw date from Iraq just before Election Day, can only benefit those currently in power or are hoping to be.

The Iraqi people will think that the Americans will finally be leaving soon.  Americans will think that our troops will be coming home soon. 

The Republican Party and Senator John McCain will say, “The Surge worked – we have a Victory in Iraq.”

A word of warning to my fellow Americans.  These negotiations do not have to be solved by Election Day in November.  The two governments have until the end of the year to settle.  In other words, don’t get your hopes up too soon.  This arguing back and forth about a ‘possible’ withdraw date -- could just be a political ploy. 

We’ve been ‘lied’ to before, remember.