As The Smoke Clears A Little

This Monday piece by Trudy Rubin stands up well with some sensible analysis on Iraq:

We don't know whether a large U.S. troop presence can produce long-awaited political reconciliation or a functional Iraqi government. Iraqis will have ten more months to work on this conundrum before the next U.S. administration takes office. Within that time there will be provincial elections, and Maliki might even be dumped by Iraqi legislators.

We do know - as the Basra affair showed - that Iran is crucial to any Iraq solution. And here is where the next president will have an opportunity to try something different - with Iran.

Distinguishing between what we can affect and what we cannot is the key. Iran has leverage whatever happens, whether we leave or stay and regardless of how we stay. They know it; we know it; at some point, someone will have to talk - and talk big - with power brokers in Tehran. That will be partly what this election will be about; and what it should be about.