Pawns, puppets and the real culprits

[ProSense]

From Petraeus the pawn to Maliki the puppet:

Al-Maliki: Iraq testimony was realistic

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called testimony given by the U.S. top commander in Iraq and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq "realistic and objective."

Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker testified before Congress this week about the progress of the war in Iraq.

"In general, it is a positive report, and reflects a reality and looks forward, like we do, to a brighter future," al-Maliki told CNN's Anderson Cooper in Iraq on Wednesday.

Cooper asked al-Maliki about Crocker's description of his government as largely dysfunctional.

Al-Maliki said, "I did not want to say that I completely agree with the testimony."

The 57-year-old Shiite said Crocker and the U.S. may have misunderstood the challenge of national reconciliation among Iraq's main ethnic and religious groups.

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