I am under no obligation to defend statements I never made. The one I made was 100% correct: Maliki wants US troop levels to go substantially lower, soon, rather than higher. When you and Shad stated that Maliki did not have the same position I had (total withdrawal in less than a year), I readily agreed. The surge was forced on Maliki, Iraq, and the US by an Administration that has proven its incompetence in prosecuting this occupation.