In the breeze comes rumour of a coup

So, if the Bush administration was suddenly to take the view that Nouri al-Maliki, prime minister of Iraq, and his government weren't really, y'know, toeing the Bushco line, would they be inclined to effect an overthrow of that government?

Maybe. From Juan Cole.

A rumor is circulating among well-connected and formerly high-level Iraqi bureaucrats in exile in places like Damascus that a military coup is being prepared for Iraq. I received the following from a reliable, knowledgeable contact. There is no certitude that this plan can or will be implemented. That it is being discussed at high levels seems highly likely. "There is serious talk of a military commission (majlis `askari) to take over the government. The parties would be banned from holding positions, and all the ministers would be technocrats, so to speak. . . The writer indicates that attempts have been made to recruit cabinet members from the ranks of expatriate technocrats.
The six-member board or commission would be composed on non-political former military personnel who are presently not part of the government OR the military establishment, such as it is in Iraq at the moment. It is said that the Americans are supporting this behind the scenes. The plan includes a two-year period during which political parties would not be permitted to be part of the government, but instead would prepare and strengthen the parties for an election which would not have lists, but real people running for real seats. The two year period would be designed to take control of security and restore infrastructure. . . .[I]t is another [desperate plan], but one which many many Iraqis will support, since they are sick of their country being pulled apart by the "imports" - Maliki, Allawi, Jaafari et al. The military group is composed of internals, people who have the goal of securing the country even at the risk of no democracy, so they say. "

You might think, "Nah! Bush would never do that!"

Wouldn't he? How about Cheney?

These guys have perpetrated aggressive war, condoned and, in fact, encouraged torture of prisoners, illegally read your mail, monitored your silly little instant messages, and listened in on your phone calls to aunt Agnes in Folkstone. They have used more US troops as cannon fodder than people who were killed in the World Trade Center attacks. They have endangered one of their own national assets by exposing the identity of one of their own secret agents.

They lie and they cheat and they get their own way.

Yeah. They'd do it. They hate others for their freedom.

(Click on image to enlarge. Try not to roll your eyes. Vomiting is permitted.)