ROCK-'EM-SOCK-'EM STRAWBOTS:

US hints at a lesser role as Iraq ponders leaders (Farah Stockman, February 15, 2005, Boston Globe)

As the victorious parties in Iraq's election conducted behind-the-scenes negotiations over key posts in the new government, the Bush administration signaled yesterday that it plans to lower its profile in Iraq in the coming months.

US officials, who were keeping a close eye on the emerging candidates for president and prime minister, said they were prepared for a Shi'ite-dominated government in Baghdad that is far friendlier toward Iran than any in recent history -- and that is likely to request a quieter, less obtrusive American role.

''That's what the elections were about," said one senior US official who closely follows political developments in Iraq. ''No matter what the outcome . . . we were going to begin the process of getting out of Iraq. The whole idea was to engage in divestiture, but doing it in a way that another competent entity was involved."

For three years now the critics of the Administration have insisted that the president envisioned a permanent presence in Iraq--and control of its oil--even as he repeated over and over that as soon as they could govern themselves and asked us to leave we would. Now that his policy has succeeded and there's some prospect of reducing our presence the same folks insist his policy has backfired. They've got straw men fighting straw men.

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 15, 2005 1:52 PM