The Iraqi Put-On

The Baghdad government has found a shrewd new way to deal with pressure from the White House--by caricaturing its style.

Prime Minister al-Maliki is, with a straight face, imitating the Bush Administration in an obvious parody to make it look ridiculous.

Last week, he had his own Alberto Gonzales firing senior officers for "poor performance." Now he has his own Karl Rove operation, "The Office of the Commander in Chief," to override other parts of the government when they make decisions not to his liking. U.S. intelligence sources say the Office is "ensuring the emplacement of commanders it favors and can control, regardless of what the ministries want."

It may just be a clumsy form of flattery but is more likely a put-on. Will the Bushies be amused?