[tobyhill]

Maliki’s going with the slow hard drip method. It's like a soda bottle that's been shaken, open slow then tighten quickly, continue until carbonation doesn't explode all at once.

[Tallguy]

Iraq is like a 3-legged stool. You can’t cut off 1 leg & expect to be able to sit on it. Though Maliki is Shia & can brook no organized opposition form his own, he can’t go all the way against them. He may need their support in the future.

I don’t dispute your analogy, BTW. In fact it is a pretty good one.