For Shame … The American Ambassador Sits in Iraqi Parliament

For shame … the American ambassador sits in the Iraqi parliament. We watched the American ambassador under the dome of the Iraqi parliament during Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki’s presentation of the names of the new ministers in his government before the president and members of the Council of Representatives of Iraq and other Iraqi leaders. We ask: Is it right that the Egyptian, or Jordanian or Swiss ambassador sit in the hall of the Council of Representatives of Iraq? And is it right that the Iraqi ambassador in America attend meetings of the U.S. Senate? We ask: What is the wisdom in allowing the presence of an American ambassador during a vote on the ministers of our government? We ask whether he attended in an official capacity or whether he did so on his own desire and without first seeking permission. We ask: Did he advise the formation of the new government? We had hoped that some official or speaker in attendance would have stood before the American ambassador and, in view of the cameras, requested that he leave the hall of the Council of Representatives.