If McCain were president, and Malaki tells him to take our troops home?

He'd do something stupid like attack Iran.

He'd grab him by his neck and yell at him like a senile fool.

...he may have to comply. Though scheduled timetables may be the best thing because it would force Iraqi's to get it together. If you think about it, Malaki needs the US there to protect himself but if he can perform, strengthen his own security force there wouldn't be any need to US troops to maintain his own safety. Timetables will act a benchmarks to see how well the Iraqi's can actuallu do while having power turned over to them...

Regardless of who is President, cleaning up after this disaster of an administration is going to be formidible at best...

US forces aren't strengthening the Green Zone Government, if anything they're the number one factor keeping it from establishing any legitimacy in the eyes of the people of Iraq. If Maliki tells America to fuck off, and we have to listen, then it would most likely cause his popularity to skyrocket.

The presence of US forces, however, reinforces the anti-GZG forces who claim (without stretching the truth in the least) that the GZG is nothing but a puppet regime controlled by America.

If we want Iraqis to take responsibility for their own country, that means they have to take responsibility for their own country.

...but I stil believe that the US forces are adding to the safety of Malaki.

With that said, what I think we are seeing here is a sound political strategy by Malaki to make him look like he is no longer a "puppet" is can stand up to the Americans.

We are also seeing the true colors of the bush administration which is occupation for strategic interests. I prefer to get out of where we are not wanted and develop alternative energy sources and let those people do whatever it is they want to do to each other...

If he was actually serving as president in this nation and didn't want to piss on the Constitution, like Bush has done, he would have to comply or get an actual Article of War against Iraq.