NEWS FLASH

Lawmakers Push For Continued U.S. Presence In Iraq | The Hill reports that Reps. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) and Steve Chabot (R-OH) are laying the groundwork for a campaign to promote an extended U.S. stay in Iraq past the Dec. 31, 2011 withdrawal deadline. “Although the administration’s plan to transition the mission is well-intentioned, I am concerned that it is neither well-timed nor well-reasoned,” Chabot said. Absent in that statement is that it’s not only the Obama administration’s plan; it’s also President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s plan. The Hill report did not say whether either lawmaker mentioned the influence of Muktada al-Sadr on America’s future in Iraq.