We are reaching a pretty important moment in Iraq politically next month so I am going to start keeping a closer eye on the country here in the blog of major developments both on the ground and in regards to political ramifications in ‘08.

- 14 of our soldiers are reported dead in the country after a helicopter crash.

- Separately, at least 28 people were killed and 91 wounded when a suicide car bomb detonated outside a police building in the Iraqi town of Baiji, north of Baghdad, in Salaheddin province, police said.

- Hillary Clinton is now receiving scorn from the left after suggesting that the surge in Iraq is working but that it is too late. This is another tightrope for Clinton who seems to have recognized she will not court the far-left as well as Obama or Edwards because of her Iraq strategy but instead believes a moderate position on the subject will better serve candidates in the general election.

“We’ve begun to change tactics in Iraq, and in some areas, particularly in Al Anbar province, it’s working,” she said. “We’re just years too late in changing our tactics.”

The much anticipated report from General Petraus is due next month and it would be difficult to find anyone who doesn’t expect it to say “things are not perfect, they are working, we need more time” but will adopting a pragmatic position please the left?

Candidate Bill Richardson had the following to say in a statement released to the press:

The fact is the surge is not working. I do not give President Bush the same credit on Iraq that Hillary does. … The improvement is only in comparison to the previous two months which were horrible.

David Bonior campaign manager for John Edwards said of the comments:
“another instance of a Washington politician trying to have it both ways.”

Obama said in an interview with the Associated Press:

“If we put 30,000 additional troops into Baghdad, it will quell some of the violence short term. I don’t think there is any doubt about that.”

But that won’t solve Iraq’s critical political problems,

- Meanwhile a centerpiece of many Democratic plans for Iraq was rebuked by the countries Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki who blamed the 2008 campaign for recent sentiment in the U.S. that his government was not working hard.

“No one has the right to place timetables on the Iraq government. It was elected by its people… Those who make such statements are bothered by our visit to Syria. We will pay no attention. We care for our people and our constitution and can find friends elsewhere.

Much debate will be had over the statement but it is a pretty blunt and not so veiled message. Recently Iraq has reached out to Iran and Syria and Russia has been making a serious show of force and upping its rhetoric against the west.