Hey, they say he is more cautious.
He is playing the same game he has always been playing.
But, Mookie is smart enough to know how far is too far to push the US, which is why he is still alive.
Mookie is betting that he can keep things unstable enough that the US will bail on Iraq and he will be there with Iranian help to take over.
If the Iraqi government doesn't get its ass in gear by this winter I will support a US backed coup to replace the religious idiots in power with secular politicians.
Better that then letting Iran take over.