WHEN EVEN JOE BIDEN CAN FIGURE IT OUT...:

Iraq's Premier Receives High Marks From U.S.: Allawi 'is the perfect leader ... at the moment,' one former official says, echoing the sentiments of others. (Tyler Marshall, August 29, 2004, LA Times)

In his first two months as head of the American-backed interim Iraqi government, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has produced something rare for U.S. policymakers dealing with the turmoil in Iraq: a pleasant surprise.

In his first 60 days, they say, Allawi has stamped his authority over the fledgling interim government he leads, focused almost exclusively on the crucial issue of security and, in the process, emerged as a credible Iraqi political figure visibly trying to establish a semblance of law and order.

"He's smart, he's tough, he's resolved," said Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who frequently has challenged the administration's postwar strategy. "In light of the capacity he possesses, he's done a remarkable job."

So much for the war as an issue.

Posted by Orrin Judd at August 29, 2004 5:12 PM