Puppet

I understand the principle behind the Hadley memo strategy, but, like so many other US actions in Iraq, knowing that the US is pulling the strings only serves to undermine the resultant government.

Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, a moderate Sunni, said Thursday that President Bush told him the administration wants Iraqi politicians to form a coalition of "moderate parties." Al-Hashimi met with Bush on Tuesday.....

Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman, said the administration was not telling Iraqis what to do but the "object of the moderate Iraqi leaders coming together is to stop the violence and create an Iraq that can govern, sustain and defend itself."

Asked whether that meant removing al-Sadr's faction from government, Johndroe said the Iraqis Bush had consulted are "serious about taking action against those who would operate outside the rule of law."

So, is al-Hashimi, the "moderate" Sunni faction leader targeted by the Bush administration, talking about this to torpedo it?