Mitch McConnell will obey Iraqi demands, but not the Democrats'

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell apparently believes that the Iraqi parliament, led by al Sadr's Shiite faction, have binding authority over U.S. military policies, although he emphatically believes that the U.S. Congress does not.

"Republicans overwhelmingly feel disappointed about the Iraqi government," McConnell said. "I read just this week that a significant number of the Iraqi Parliament want to vote to ask us to leave. I want to assure you, Wolf, if they vote to ask us to leave, we'll be glad to comply with their request."

Here's what he had to say when the Senate Democrats voted to end the war in Iraq and withdraw forces by next March:

Republicans contend that Congress has no authority to dictate war policy, and that Democrats are overreaching, possibly dangerously, by attempting to limit Bush's options. "This is the memo that our enemies have been waiting for," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

Republicans have vigorously defended George Bush's policies in Iraq, declaring that leaving was tantamount to a terrorist victory. They have been particularly aggressive in asserting that Congress has no role in military decisions.

McConnell's statements are absurd and self-refuting. We either have a national interest in staying in Iraq, or we don't. Americans need to decide the future course of our engagement in Iraq. No foreign nation should have veto power over it. Certainly not the current, corrupt Iraqi government.