In terms of troop sacrifice and American dollars, how much has it cost so far to bring democracy to Iraq? Seems inconsequential to Levin. Let’s pull a Saddam on Maliki’s ass and START OVER!

OK. He didn’t make that drastic of a call. But, at this point in the game, it sure feels like it!

Senator Calls for Maliki’s Ouster

Levin Urges Iraqis To Replace Leaders

Declaring the government of Iraq “non-functional,” the influential chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said yesterday that Iraq’s parliament should oust Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his cabinet if they are unable to forge a political compromise with rival factions in a matter of days.

“I hope the parliament will vote the Maliki government out of office and will have the wisdom to replace it with a less sectarian and more unifying prime minister and government,” Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.) said after a three-day trip to Iraq and Jordan.

Levin’s statement, the most forceful call for leadership change in Iraq from a U.S. elected official, comes as about two dozen lawmakers are traveling to Iraq during Congress’s August break to glean firsthand assessments before receiving a progress report next month from Gen. David H. Petraeus, the U.S. commander there, and Ryan C. Crocker, the U.S. ambassador.

Jonathan Weisman, Washington Post Staff Writer

Source: WashingtonPost.com