The WH must be pressuring al-Maliki. Spokesman says he was "misunderstood".

[jezebel]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/19/almaliki.obama/index.html
(CNN) -- A German magazine quoted Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki as saying that he backed a proposal by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq within 16 months.
"U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months," he said in an interview with Der Spiegel that was released Saturday.

"That, we think, would be the right time frame for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes," he said.

But a spokesman for al-Maliki said his remarks "were misunderstood, mistranslated and not conveyed accurately."

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the possibility of troop withdrawal was based on the continuance of security improvements, echoing statements that the White House made Friday after a meeting between al-Maliki and U.S. President Bush.
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More here from the NYTimes
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/maliki-ba... /

Update: A spokesman for the Iraqi prime minister has issued a statement saying his remarks were “misunderstood and mistranslated,” but did not address a specific error. Full statement below.

Update II: Dr. Ali al-Dabbagh, a spokesman for the Iraqi government, issued a statement saying Mr. Maliki’s statement had been “as not conveyed accurately regarding the vision of Senator Barack Obama, U.S. presidential candidate, on the timeframe for U.S. forces withdrawal from Iraq,” but it did not address a specific error. It did soften his support for Mr. Obama’s plan and implied a more tentative approach to withdrawing troops. More of the statement, which came from the U.S. military’s Central Command press office:
Al-Dabbagh explained that Mr. al-Maliki confirmed the existence of an Iraqi vision stems from the reality with regard to Iraq security needs, as the positive developments of the security situation and the improvement witnessed in Iraqi cities makes the subject of U.S. forces’ withdrawal within prospects, horizons and timetables agreed upon and in the light of the continuing positive developments on the ground, and security that came within the Strategic Plan for Cooperation which was laid and developed by Mr. Maliki and President George Bush. The Iraqi government appreciates and values the efforts of all the friends who continue to support and supporting Iraqi security forces.
Al-Dabbagh underscored that the statements made by the head of the ministerial council (Prime Minister al-Maliki) or any of the members of the Iraqi government should not be understood as support to any U.S. presidential candidates.

[anonymous171]

1. Just like with Merkel

[truthisfreedom]

2. Misunderstood, of course. Just like every other time someone steps out of line with bushco.

Puppet.

[bbinacan]

3. I saw this coming. n/t

[vaberella]

4. Hah....spin has begun...

[icnorth]

5. But a spokesman for al-Maliki said his remarks "were misunderstood,

mistranslated and not conveyed accurately."

Thanks Jez, been wondering where Big Dick was hiding out lately.

[liberalmuse]

6. Busheil probably threatened to remove his security detail.

I guess he is their puppet.

[npincus]

7. let's go to the videotape!

the interview must have been recorded.

[jezebel]

8. more here from the NYTimes >>>>

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/maliki-backs-obamas-troop-withdrawal-plan/

Update: A spokesman for the Iraqi prime minister has issued a statement saying his remarks were “misunderstood and mistranslated,” but did not address a specific error. Full statement below.

Update II: Dr. Ali al-Dabbagh, a spokesman for the Iraqi government, issued a statement saying Mr. Maliki’s statement had been “as not conveyed accurately regarding the vision of Senator Barack Obama, U.S. presidential candidate, on the timeframe for U.S. forces withdrawal from Iraq,” but it did not address a specific error. It did soften his support for Mr. Obama’s plan and implied a more tentative approach to withdrawing troops. More of the statement, which came from the U.S. military’s Central Command press office:
Al-Dabbagh explained that Mr. al-Maliki confirmed the existence of an Iraqi vision stems from the reality with regard to Iraq security needs, as the positive developments of the security situation and the improvement witnessed in Iraqi cities makes the subject of U.S. forces’ withdrawal within prospects, horizons and timetables agreed upon and in the light of the continuing positive developments on the ground, and security that came within the Strategic Plan for Cooperation which was laid and developed by Mr. Maliki and President George Bush. The Iraqi government appreciates and values the efforts of all the friends who continue to support and supporting Iraqi security forces.
Al-Dabbagh underscored that the statements made by the head of the ministerial council (Prime Minister al-Maliki) or any of the members of the Iraqi government should not be understood as support to any U.S. presidential candidates.

[Arrowhead2k1]

9. What a bunch of pussies... nt

[hlthe2b]

10. 'Guess he wants to stay alive....

Did Cheney put a horse head in his bed?

[4themind]

11. Der Spiegel needs to get the tape out

assuming they have it (be pretty boneheaded of them not too IMO), then let people decide for themselves

[Hippo_Tron]

12. Yet his clarification just re-iterates Obama's position even more

16 months isn't an unconditional deadline, it's an approximate time-table for the military to work toward. Obama has said this from the beginning, and has recently re-iterated this even though the media has called it "flip-flopping".

Maliki and Obama are on the same page and so while I'm sure he was coerced by Bush to say something more favorable to McGramps, his first statement was such a clear endorsement of Obama's plan that he can't really take it back.

I just wish we had video footage of Al-Maliki making that statement.

[Baclava]

13. Maliki just got his pee-pee whacked

(You knew this was coming)

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

14. Probably, but what leverage does lame-duck schrub have anymore?

[AllentownJake]

17. He can have him killed

before January 20th 12:01 pm.

[annabanana]

15. (backpedaling as fast as he can). . . . . . . n/t

[DLnyc]

16. Reference (in German) to statement in Spiegel

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,566832,00.html

16 Monaten aus dem Land abzuziehen. "Das, finden wir, wäre der richtige Zeitraum für den Abzug, geringe Abweichungen vorbehalten", sagte er im SPIEGEL-Interview.

Means something like ' 16 months . . . "That, we find would be the right time for the withdrawal, subject to minor differences," he said in the Spiegel interview.' (According to Google x-lation)