In a stinging rebuke to Shrub's nebulous language of time horizons and despite Betrayus's feeble attempt to clarify Maliki's position, Maliki set off an EFP that shredded Shrub's and McInsane's Iraqi Foreign Policy armor...

Here's Betrayus attempt...

“Again, what [al-Maliki] has said is not a timeline or a timetable. He said time horizons, which, again, we think that there's nothing wrong with talking about time horizons,” said Petraeus.

He added that the feasibility of withdrawing U.S. troops in 16 months would depend on conditions that could not be forecast with much certainty.

Here's Maliki...

When asked in an interview with Der Spiegel when he thinks US troops should leave Iraq, Maliki responded "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." He then continued: "US presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

Ouch! That has got to hurt...! In an amusing anecdote on the panic it induced in the WH...

White House Accidentally E-Mails to Reporters Story That Maliki Supports Obama Iraq Withdrawal Plan

The White House this afternoon accidentally sent to its extensive distribution list a Reuters story headlined "Iraqi PM backs Obama troop exit plan - magazine."[...}

The White House employee had intended to send the article to an internal distribution list, ABC News' Martha Raddatz reports, but hit the wrong button.

All but guaranteeing that the story would get publicized...

That's definitely gonna leave a campaign road rash of sorts for McInsane, eh?

McInsane's camp responds... weakly...

Today, McCain 2008 Senior Foreign Policy Advisor Randy Scheunemann issued the following statement: "The difference between John McCain and Barack Obama is that Barack Obama advocates an unconditional withdrawal that ignores the facts on the ground and the advice of our top military commanders. John McCain believes withdrawal must be based on conditions on the ground. Prime Minister Maliki has repeatedly affirmed the same view, and did so again today. Timing is not as important as whether we leave with victory and honor, which is of no apparent concern to Barack Obama. The fundamental truth remains that Senator McCain was right about the surge and Senator Obama was wrong. We would not be in the position to discuss a responsible withdrawal today if Senator Obama's views had prevailed."

Btw, as that YouTube above points out, McInsane says we've Succeeded in Iraq! Not, we're succeeding, we've succeeded...! He even it clarified it later...

McCain added on the campaign bus: “I repeat my statement that we have succeeded in Iraq — not we are succeeding — we have succeeded in Iraq.”

As proof, he said, just ask the commander on the ground... Betrayus...! D'oh!!!

Now, that begs the obvious question, if we've 'succeeded' why don't we leave? Hmmm...? Inquiring minds want to know...