NO STRINGS ATTACHED
The best thing for Iraq right now is to have a leader that is not seen by Iraqis as a puppet of the U.S., so that power-hungry islamofascists, religious supremacists, would-be theocratic dictators and racists won't have a recruiting tool for their murderous campaigns. Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawar is saying all of the right things. Some excerpts:

There was pressure and offers of other positions in return for my stepping down as presidential nominee and I did not accept any of them.

It was very clear that I was not preferred by the coalition authorities and I have no links to the American administration.

The reason for the three-day delay in announcing the name of the president is the pressure on me to give up my right for nomination as president.

And it is even better that he makes it clear the U.S. didn't even like him.

Everything is proceeding according to plan.