John, where you are not misstating my position outright, you are cherry-picking it.
I have never said, nor do I believe, that democratization is not our business. I have said it is not our PRIORITY. Our priority in the war on terror is defeating Islamo-fascism. Democratization would probably be a good outcome … eventually — if Iraq can make a drastic cultural transformation that would probably take at least a generation. Consequently, I am far more concerned about Maliki’s efforts vis a vis militant Islam (and, by extension, the Iraqi government’s) than I am about his attachment to democracy. Opposing Hezbollah, for example, obviously furthers the goal of defeating Islamo-fascism. Whether democratizing a society furthers that goal is, at best, dubious. (Would you like to see Musharaff replaced with a democracy any time soon? How about Mubarak?)
Anyone who actually reads my post as opposed to your distortion of it will know that I did not confine my remarks to Maliki’s harsh tone toward Israel, nor did I argue that support for Israel is an absolute litmus test for whether one is an ally or an enemy of the United States.
For what little it may be worth, I judge who America’s allies and enemies are in Iraq (and every place else) by virtue of their positions on our most policy goals. I look at Maliki and I see not only an opponent of Israel but a proponent of Iran, Hezbollah and Sadr. I don’t see that as being an ally. If that makes me crazy, call me crazy.