Bush stood up by Iraqi leader
Refusal to meet may be linked to nasty memo
AMMAN, Jordan -- President Bush's high-profile meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was canceled in a stunning turn of events Wednesday.
The cancellation came after disclosure of U.S. doubts about the Iraqi leader's capabilities and a political boycott in Baghdad protesting his attendance.
Instead of two days of talks, Bush and al-Maliki will have breakfast and a single meeting today.
The cancellation was an almost unheard-of development in the high-level circles of a U.S. president, a king and a prime minister.
There were conflicting explanations about what happened.
Bush had been scheduled to meet in a three-way session with al-Maliki and Jordan's King Abdullah II on Wednesday, and had rearranged his schedule to be in Amman for both days for talks aimed at reducing the violence in Iraq.
White House counselor Dan Bartlett denied that the delay was a snub by al-Maliki directed at Bush or was related to the leak of a memo written by White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley questioning the prime minister's capacity for controlling violence in Iraq.
''Absolutely not,'' Bartlett said.'' He said the king and the prime minister had met before Bush arrived. ''That negated the purpose to meet tonight together in a trilateral setting.''
In other news, a bipartisan commission in Washington, under pressure to offer a U.S. exit strategy for the increasingly unpopular war in Iraq, has reached a consensus and will announce its recommendations next week, the group's co-chairman said Wednesday.
Former Rep. Lee Hamilton D-Ind. declined to disclose any specifics about the Iraq Study Group's decisions. The report, much anticipated by the Bush administration and members of Congress, is coming out next Wednesday amid the spiraling violence in Iraq.
''This afternoon, we reached a consensus ... and we will announce that on Dec. 6,'' Hamilton told a forum on national security at the Center for American Progress, a liberal group.
''We're making recommendations,'' said Hamilton, who led the group with former Secretary of State James A. Baker III.
The New York Times reported on its Web site Wednesday night that the study group will call for a gradual pullback of the 15 American brigades now in Iraq, but will stop short of setting a specific timetable for their withdrawal. AP
''How's your boy?'' Webb, in an interview Wednesday, recalled Bush asking during the reception two weeks ago.
''I told him I'd like to get them out of Iraq,'' Webb said.
''That's not what I asked. How's your boy?'' the president replied, according to Webb.
At that point, Webb said, Bush got a response similar to what reporters and others who had asked Webb about Lance Cpl. Jimmy Webb, 24, have received since the young man left for Iraq around Labor Day: ''I told him that was between my boy and me.''
Webb, a leading critic of the Iraq war, said that he had avoided the receiving line and photo op with Bush, but that the president found him.
The White House had no comment on the reception. But it did not dispute an account of the exchange in Wednesday's Washington Post.
Webb is a Marine veteran of the Vietnam War and was Navy secretary under President Ronald Reagan.
AP
The New York Times published a memo written by White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley after a trip to Baghdad that, while offering some praise, raises doubts about whether Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is able take the steps necessary to secure his country.
The memo speculates on why Maliki can't control Iraq's violence and offers some advice.
Why can't Maliki control violence?
The memo offers three possible reasons, according to the Times:
• • He is ignorant of what is going on.
• • He is misrepresenting his intentions.
• • His capabilities are not yet sufficient to turn his good intentions into action.
Is there anything the U.S. can do?
The memo makes recommendations for enhancing Maliki's capabilities, according to the Times.
• • Allow him to take more credit for positive developments in Iraq.
• • Give him more control of security forces.
Does the memo give other advice?
It also makes suggestions for U.S. action independent of Maliki.
• • Target al-Qaida strongholds in Baghdad.
• • Seek a recommendation from military commanders about ether more forces are needed in the Iraqi capital, where much of the recent violence has been concentrated.
Bloomberg News
