Problems are that he's a constitutionally elected of a "democracy", the fictional basis of which is the basis of Bush's presence, and there are other groups who could take the place of the US.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- "It is vogue in Washington to place blame for the chaos in Iraq squarely at that the feet of its leader, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. In recent days calls have grown louder in many corners of the U.S. government for al-Maliki to step down."

"Maliki's response: Back off.

"In a trip to Syria this week the Iraqi prime minister scolded his American friends for daring to challenge the will of the Iraqi people who installed him and dismissed their criticism as Washington politics.

"It's a role reversal that speaks volumes about the inherent complexities and contradictions of the Bush administration's policy of promoting democracy in the Middle East."

Arf