Emphasis on unmeasurable reconciliation in Iraq.

One of the spin points the Bush administration is trying to push is the idea that reconciliation in Iraq can be seen and achieved in areas other than parliament. As one example, look at the asserted, but unprovable, claims of "bottom up reconciliation," the idea that the Sunni tribal deals represent progress towards Iraqi reconciliation.

(They don't. The "tribal deals" are a shaky alliance between Sunni militant groups and the US. The Sunni groups have given no indication that these deals mark any sort of change in intention towards the Shia dominated government, and there's some evidence the government is sending militia infiltrated government forces into some of these areas near west Baghdad.)

Another new reconciliation talking point is the idea of emphasizing the presidential council, but really, what is the level of cooperation there?

U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker told Congress on Thursday that the council is meeting weekly to deal with crises, and officials are hoping this will become a forum to develop consensus on broader political issues. Bush has taken to including the two vice presidents -- Adel Abdul Mahdi and Tariq al-Hashimi -- as well as Talabani in some of his regular video conferences with Maliki.

Sounds like they've almost settled the oil law, eh?