The View From Iraq

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10:50 AM, May 13, 2008 • By MICHAEL GOLDFARB

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Spencer Ackerman posts an IM conversation he had yesterday with a friend who lives in Iraqi Kurdistan:

Bilal Wahab: my point is that Obama and Clinton are not clear on Iraq, at least from here

Ackerman: you think they're saying "end the war, but not immediately"? or â€¦? or just not thinking about what comes after withdrawal?

Bilal Wahab: more of the latter. But people fill in teh blanksâ€¦ "America can't be taht stupid"

Ackerman: hahahaha sorry to say but YES WE CAN

The whole thing is interesting, and revealing. At one point Ackerman senses that his buddy isn't exactly on board the Obama bandwagon. Wahab tells him, "Iraq and Middle Eastern politics are very complicated for Obama to try to learn and get hold of now." To which Ackerman responds, "you sounded somewhat sympathetic to him earlier." Wahab insists he is still sympathetic, but "the fear of cut and run is devastating."

It sounds like Ackerman's friend has a pretty clear understanding of Obama's Iraq policy.