The Real Reason Bush Spied on Maliki

By Patrick Cockburn, Independent UK. Posted September 8, 2008.

Although Bob Woodward doesn't mention it in his book, the true aim of
the U.S. has been to figure out Baghdad's real relationship with Iran.

The United States has spied extensively on Iraqi prime minister Nouri
al-Maliki and other Iraqi government leaders, the American
investigative journalist Bob Woodward has revealed.

"We know everything he says," the journalist quotes one source as
saying, in his fourth book on George Bush's presidency. The U.S.
administration's decision to spy continually on Mr. Maliki shows deep
distrust of the Iraqi leadership by the U.S. The surveillance took
place even while Mr. Maliki was speaking to Mr. Bush by video-phone
once a week.

The Iraqi government reacted furiously today and said it would ask the
United States for an explanation, although Mr. Maliki and other Iraqi
leaders are unlikely to be shocked or surprised that the U.S. has been
spying on them. "If it is true Â… it reflects that there is no trust,"
government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in a statement.