So When Are We Overthrowing the Iraqi Regime (Again)?

The drumbeats are getting louder. See this Op-Ed by David Ignatius in the Washington Post.

The basic allegation is that Iran pumped money and people into Iraq to influence the much touted democratic elections that placed Maliki in power (and removed Allawi), and that the US missed the boat in not covertly funding political propaganda to support Allawi and his political cronies.

Of course this wholly ignores the billions America was already pumping into Iraq - if those billions are doing good, then wouldn't the locals associate pro-US Iraqi politicians with good also? - and the fact that Iraq is mostly Shia (Maliki is in the Shia wing of politics there). But one can't be an op-ed writer by sticking to facts.

Apparently the current BushCo thinking does not include the thought 'that you have to deal with the elected government you have, not the government you want.'

Have we not seen this movie before? And what's the over/under on a coup here? I say 9 months - so summer, 2008.