Iraqi Premier Steps Back on U.S. Troops Comment  —  BAGHDAD — On the eve of Senator Barack Obama's visit to Iraq, its prime minister tried to step back Sunday from comments in an interview in which he appeared to support Mr. Obama's plan for troop withdrawal.

More On Maliki  —  I've been thinking about the Maliki statement and its implications.  Here's my take.  —  McCain's entire rationale, as a candidate, turns on Iraq and related issues, like terrorism and (to a lesser extent) Iran.  What else is he going to run on?  His grasp of the economy?

Iraqi Leader Stirs up US Campaign  —  Obama is pleased, but McCain certainly is not.  In an interview with SPIEGEL, Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki expressed support for Obama's troop withdrawal plans.  Despite a half-hearted retraction, the comments have stirred up the US presidential campaign.

Political leverage in the 51st state  —  It's almost a convention of politics that when a politician says he was misquoted, but doesn't detail the misquote or offer an alternative, he's really saying he wishes he hadn't said what he did, or that he needs to issue a pro-forma denial to please someone.