What was that slogan all the Bush ass kissers were so fond of a while back… “When they stand up, we’ll stand down”. Great, now our fate is out of our hands.

It always was, following the attack... because anything less gives us the less than happy alternatives of the Islamic extremists winning power, or of directly dictating the happenings.
Not everything can be accomplished by government fiat.

And in case nobody has noticed, Sadr has once again withdrawn. Tell me again, please, who is losing in Iraq?

That’s the elected government, folks.

So I guess when the elected government of Iraq says its time for our boys to go fight and die, off they go.

What was that slogan all the Bush ass kissers were so fond of a while back... "When they stand up, we'll stand down". Great, now our fate is out of our hands.

Guess what, these guys are not going to stand up, at least in the way we define it. Not next week, not next month, not next year. How many of our troops have to die while we wait for an event that will never happen?

Ultimately, “It’s a way of life for the Iraqi government. They do stupid things that put our troops at risk for their own political benefit because they know that American troops will step into the breech and cover their asses. ”

This is the explanation--however, the stupid party here is Bush. Because of Bush's idiotic decision to invade Iraq, it is perfectly rational for Maliki to act on the offensive against his adversaries.

Maliki can engage in a gambit to weaken his adversaries precisely because he knows that Bush HAS to act.

Because Bush is so consumed with his own ego and legacy and an inability to come to terms with his failure in decisionmaking, he is the stupid one.

Although, Im less inclined to think Bush is stupid--rather he just can't see beyond his failings and since he bears no costs for reckless decisions, he doesn't care that US troops will be sacrificed as we get more bogged down in a quagmire.

Next thing you know they will decide that the sun should come up in the west.

Just shut the hell up and stop being a part of the problem! None of you have managed to do anything that is either constructive or part of any solution.

for all the United States has invested in Iraq — and in propping up Maliki — we’ve gotten very little in return in this particular episode

Could you share with us any "episode" in Iraq that has given us a decent return for our investment in blood and national treasure?

In fact he is merely acting on behalf of an emerging alignment of pro-Iranian forces in Iraq that have successfully pulled the wool over American eyes.

That's the elected government, folks.
What would the reaction be if Bush played it otherwise, do you suppose?

That pretty much sums up the Bush doctrine.