A Plan for Iraq

Does this sound like Ayad Allawi is politicking? That he's running for office?

Next month, Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker will report to Congress on the situation in my country. I expect that the testimony of these two good men will be qualified and nuanced, as politics requires. I also expect that their assessment will not capture the totality of the tragedy -- that more than four years after its liberation from Saddam Hussein, Iraq is a failing state, not providing the most basic security and services to its people and contributing to an expanding crisis in the Middle East.

Short answers: Yes and yes.

That's exactly what he's doing and it probably won't be long before the Bush administration starts backing his bid. Hell, the WaPo is already endorsing him just by giving him a forum.

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