What on earth happened last week? there were all sorts of leaks, rumblings and vibrations leading up to Pres-ident George W. Bush's hastily arranged meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Something was up. There was a crisis. Dramatic action was indicated. The President was anxious to go on the offensive after the Democratic election victories and before the Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group report. He was going to press al-Maliki to do something unpleasant—perhaps move against the most powerful Shi'ite militia, the Mahdi Army led by Muqtada al-Sadr. Al-Maliki seemed to be resisting Bush's pressure. He snubbed the President, refusing to meet him in the evening.
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