But if the Democrat leadership doesn't want to listen to the commander of US forces in Iraq or the American president, why would they stop to listen to the Iraqi foreign minister -- even if he is in the Washington Post?

Iraqis, for all our determination and courage, cannot succeed alone. We need a healthy and supportive regional environment. We will not allow our country to be a battleground for settling scores in regional and international conflicts that adversely affect stability inside our borders. Only with continued international commitment and deeper engagement from our neighbors can we establish a stable democratic, federal and united Iraq. The world should not abandon us.

No, it shouldn't -- but the Democrats learned the lessons of Vietnam well, and so are less interested in doing what's right than in doing what is politically expedient. Even if it means selling out an ally.