Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki last week, in a sharp break from US policy, denounced Israel's attacks in Lebanon, calling the former the aggressor. This highlights further the discrepencies between the twin goals of the Iraq war - destroying Saddam's military capabilities, and improving our image in the Muslim world. In this case, the second goal is undermining the first, because (as could have been predicted) in a Muslim democracy the Muslim vote tends to be very solidified.

Goes to show yet again that an ounce of brain can be worth a pound of braun.