What kind of a deal could they make? Any deal between Saddam and the U.S would undermine the authority of the new Iraqi government and create the appearance that the U.S. is running the show in Iraq. I think that we want to project the idea that Iraq is making the decisions and the U.S is playing a supporting roll by assisting them in providing security until the Iraqis are capable of providing their own security.
Right. And John Kerry has made it perfectly clear that he is willing to do just that if he thinks it is to his political advantage.