Right On Maliki

Nuri al-Maliki: "We have told the Iranians and the Americans, 'We know that you have a problem with each other, but we are asking you, please solve your problems outside Iraq. We will not accept Iran to use Iraq to attack the American forces. We don't want the American forces to take Iraq as a field to attack Iran or Syria."

Fan or critic, al-Maliki has a point. He has a political constituency. He is also straddling two angry neighbors, continuous violence, and us. Iraq is a sovereign nation. His request should be noted.