According to a piece in Iraq The Model, the sudden shift of Maliki toward a 16 month timetable for withdrawal of American troops has more to do with pragmatism than the facts on the ground.
The state-owned Al-Sabah quoted a senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject, as saying: “The change in the prime minister’s position has to do with his own perception of the political developments in the United States…Maliki thinks that Obama is most likely to win in the presidential election and that he will withdraw his country’s troops from Iraq as he pledged in his campaign.” The official added that Maliki sees that “he’s got to take preemptive steps before Obama gets to the White House.”
In other words, right or wrong, Maliki has judged Obama based on his campaign promises to withdraw troops, and has decided to make the best of it by appearing to support the next American president.
Then too, there is the matter for Maliki of his own reelection as he balances his own country's hopes for an end to violence against what might happen if American troops are withdrawn.
The terrorists have made it plain that Iraq is where they intend to fight, the question on everyone's mind is, "Does Obama understand this?"
Nice work Dave
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson