Oh really:

The statement, which was distributed to media organizations by the American military early on Sunday, said Mr. Maliki’s words had been “misunderstood and mistranslated,” but it failed to cite specifics.

“Unfortunately, Der Spiegel was not accurate,” Mr. Dabbagh said Sunday by telephone. “I have the recording of the voice of Mr. Maliki. We even listened to the translation.”

But the interpreter for the interview works for Mr. Maliki’s office, not the magazine. And in an audio recording of Mr. Maliki’s inter...

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Oh really:

The statement, which was distributed to media organizations by the American military early on Sunday, said Mr. Maliki’s words had been “misunderstood and mistranslated,” but it failed to cite specifics.

“Unfortunately, Der Spiegel was not accurate,” Mr. Dabbagh said Sunday by telephone. “I have the recording of the voice of Mr. Maliki. We even listened to the translation.”

But the interpreter for the interview works for Mr. Maliki’s office, not the magazine. And in an audio recording of Mr. Maliki’s interview that Der Spiegel provided to The New York Times, Mr. Maliki seemed to state a clear affinity for Mr. Obama’s position, bringing it up on his own in an answer to a general question on troop presence.

The following is a direct translation from the Arabic of Mr. Maliki’s comments by The Times: “Obama’s remarks that — if he takes office — in 16 months he would withdraw the forces, we think that this period could increase or decrease a little, but that it could be suitable to end the presence of the forces in Iraq.”

He continued: “Who wants to exit in a quicker way has a better assessment of the situation in Iraq.”

Funny thing is, Der Spiegel had TWO versions of the same quote. This was the first one.

SPIEGEL: Would you hazard a prediction as to when most of the US troops will finally leave Iraq?

Maliki: As soon as possible, as far as we’re concerned. US presidential candidate Barack Obama is right when he talks about 16 months. Assuming that positive developments continue, this is about the same time period that corresponds to our wishes.

Why did they change it to remove the part that Maliki liked the 16 month withdrawal, but only if conditions on the ground continue to improve as they are now? In other words, he wants us out fast, but it should be conditions based, not some arbitrar...

Funny thing is, Der Spiegel had TWO versions of the same quote. This was the first one.

SPIEGEL: Would you hazard a prediction as to when most of the US troops will finally leave Iraq?

Maliki: As soon as possible, as far as we’re concerned. US presidential candidate Barack Obama is right when he talks about 16 months. Assuming that positive developments continue, this is about the same time period that corresponds to our wishes.

Why did they change it to remove the part that Maliki liked the 16 month withdrawal, but only if conditions on the ground continue to improve as they are now? In other words, he wants us out fast, but it should be conditions based, not some arbitrary time line. Looks to me like the second quote may have been what Maliki said, but not everything he said. They didn't exactly misquote him, they just misrepresented what he said by omitting an important part of it.

Isn't it odd then that the Iraqi govt. came out and expressed agreement with Obama again today?

Iraq's government welcomed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Monday with word that it apparently shares his hope that U.S. combat forces could leave by 2010.

The statement by Iraq's government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, followed talks between Obama and Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki — who has struggled for days to clarify Iraq's position on a possible timetable for a U.S. troop pullout.

Al-Dabbagh said the government did not endorse a fixed date, but hoped American combat units co...

Isn't it odd then that the Iraqi govt. came out and expressed agreement with Obama again today?

Iraq's government welcomed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Monday with word that it apparently shares his hope that U.S. combat forces could leave by 2010.

The statement by Iraq's government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, followed talks between Obama and Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki — who has struggled for days to clarify Iraq's position on a possible timetable for a U.S. troop pullout.

Al-Dabbagh said the government did not endorse a fixed date, but hoped American combat units could be out of Iraq sometime in 2010. That timeframe falls within the 16-month withdrawal plan proposed by Obama, who arrived in Iraq earlier in the day as part of a congressional fact-finding team.

Weird, huh? For people who are against a 16-month timetable, they sure spend a lot of time talking about a 16-month timetable.

It is also the WH who now is talking about "horizons" and such. The American people want the U.S. out of Iraq, the Obama campaing says the want to get the U.S. troops out of Iraq (and fight the real war on terror in Afghanistan), the Iraqi goverment wants the U.S. out of Iraq (and shot down plans for a permanent occupation) and above all else the Iraqi people want the occupation to end.


So who got their translations wrong again?

Who floated a definite date of 2010?

Who is still insisting that he was right when everything he has said in the past was and still is wrong?

Who still believes that the the Surge is a success even though it is only a domestic PR success in the U.S?

Who has ign...

It is also the WH who now is talking about "horizons" and such. The American people want the U.S. out of Iraq, the Obama campaing says the want to get the U.S. troops out of Iraq (and fight the real war on terror in Afghanistan), the Iraqi goverment wants the U.S. out of Iraq (and shot down plans for a permanent occupation) and above all else the Iraqi people want the occupation to end.


So who got their translations wrong again?

Who floated a definite date of 2010?

Who is still insisting that he was right when everything he has said in the past was and still is wrong?

Who still believes that the the Surge is a success even though it is only a domestic PR success in the U.S?

Who has ignored all the other relevant factors that tied in to changes in Iraq that have nothing to do with the Surge?

Who FAILS time and time again basic reading comprehension?

Or stuff like this:

BAGHDAD — Under sweltering heat Friday, the prayer leader urged the crowd of thousands to show forbearance and not to retaliate for what he called daily humiliations at the hands of the Iraqi army.

The plea has become a weekly ritual. Baghdad's Sadr City district after Friday prayers is a massive slum seething with unrest, which backers of firebrand cleric Muqtada al Sadr are managing to control, but only just.

The Friday sermon is the key to keeping the peace. After prayers, hundreds of young men began demonstrating Friday in front of nearby government forces. Some men began ...

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Or stuff like this:

BAGHDAD — Under sweltering heat Friday, the prayer leader urged the crowd of thousands to show forbearance and not to retaliate for what he called daily humiliations at the hands of the Iraqi army.

The plea has become a weekly ritual. Baghdad's Sadr City district after Friday prayers is a massive slum seething with unrest, which backers of firebrand cleric Muqtada al Sadr are managing to control, but only just.

The Friday sermon is the key to keeping the peace. After prayers, hundreds of young men began demonstrating Friday in front of nearby government forces. Some men began lunging at the Iraqi troops; most held them back