Michael Gordon has written an article for today’s NY Times about a closed-door Sunday meeting in Baghdad between ADM William Fallon, Commander, CENTCOM, and Iraq Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. Also present at the meeting were Ryan Crocker, Ambassador to Iraq, Mr Maliki’s national security adviser and several aides.

After a brief introduction, Mr Gordon goes right to the heart of the meeting:

In a Sunday afternoon discussion that mixed gentle coaxing with a sober appraisal of politics in Baghdad and Washington, the commander, Adm. William J. Fallon, told Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki that the Iraqi government should aim to complete a law on the division of oil proceeds by next month. [emph added]

Mr Gordon is often not quite as perceptive in his reporting.

ADM Fallon discussed several other subjects:

Iraq’s Shiite dominated-government, Admiral Fallon added in the meeting, has consolidated power and should have the confidence to reach out to its opponents. “You have the power,” Admiral Fallon said. “You should take the initiative.”

The admiral’s appeal, which was made in the presence of Ryan C. Crocker, the American ambassador to Iraq, a senior political adviser to the command and this reporter, elicited an assurance from Mr. Maliki that he hoped to make some progress over the coming weeks. But he also offered a lengthy account of all the tribulations facing the Iraqi government, including tenuous security, distrustful neighboring Sunni states and a complex legal agenda.

“There are lots of difficulties that are not well understood from outside,” Mr. Maliki said. “Still, we’re trying hard.”

ADM Fallon is reported to be a pretty sharp operator. (It‘s my understanding that Jeff Huber has served with ADM Fallon and has some interesting observations about him, and why his nickname is “Fox”.) I‘m just a broke-down old sergeant, but I can spot a stall when I see it. PM al-Maliki has no grasp of what is required at this point, let alone what is demanded by the Bu$h malAdminiastration. It may well be that the Iraqi national government resents being strong-armed to sign away their national wealth.

I have a hunch that in a few years we will be comparing Mr Maliki to President Diem.

At times, the two sides appeared to be operating on two different clocks. While Admiral Fallon emphasized the urgency of demonstrating results, Mr. Maliki cast the political process as a long journey from dictatorship to democracy. “The end result will be marked in history,” said Mr. Maliki, who was flanked by Mowaffak al-Rubaie, his national security adviser, and two other aides.

When President Bush decided in January to increase American troop levels in Iraq, the purpose was not to win a military victory but to improve security so the Iraqi leaders could carry out a program of political reconciliation. But now that the troops are in place, the Iraqis have little to show by way of political progress.

Beset by news about rising death tolls, deadlier bombs, falling bridges, a breaking alliance in Anbar, an American electorate wanting the country out of Mr Bu$h’s ego-war, rising unemployment, rising oil prices, and a Congress inconveniently exposing more and more of the Bu$hCo criminality, the White House is desperate for some good news to report next month. The slowly awakening MSM is becoming more comfortable in reporting about this administration’s clay feet, and it’s probably felt that the usual eyewash report won’t stand up to scrutiny by Congress and the press.

I wasn’t there, but Michael Gordon was. And just so you understand what the meeting was really about, he writes in the report a second time:

In the meeting, Admiral Fallon focused on Iraq’s oil law, assuming it was closest to completion. “Is it reasonable to expect it to be completed in July?” he asked. “We have to show some progress in July for the upcoming report.”

Mr. Maliki said that the Kurds had raised concerns about revenue sharing arrangements, but he indicated that some progress on the oil law would be made. Ambassador Crocker pointed out that it was important that progress include the resolution of that thorny issue.

At one point, Mr. Maliki wondered aloud whether Congress would really give the Iraqis credit for tackling tough issues if they completed the oil law. Admiral Fallon reassured him that most Americans wanted the Iraqi government to succeed.

There must be some success to report to Congress in July, and one subject will signal success to Messers Bu$h and Cheney: give up the oil to our friends at ExxonMobil, Shell and Conoco.