Maliki Rejects Permanent Occupation

I didn’t think this would happen, but — via Matthew Yglesias — I see it did:

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says talks with the United States on a longterm security agreement have reached a “dead end.” Al-Maliki says the talks slumped because each side refused the other’s demands.

He says the initial framework agreed upon was to have been an accord “between two completely sovereign states.” But he says the U.S. proposals “do not take into consideration Iraq’s sovereignty.”

The prime minister said Friday “this is not acceptable.” The American demands “violate Iraqi sovereignty. At the end, we reached a dead end.”

Imagine that. Could Iraqi and American public opinion actually have triumphed over George Bush, John McCain and Joe Lieberman? Maybe it’s shellshock, but I have a feeling this isn’t over.