Maliki, We Hardly Knew Yi

Tuesday's headline:

Iraq PM Maliki to address US Congress in joint session

Wednesday's headline:

Maliki denounces Israeli attacks

Not too surprising, but can anyone read between the lines? Is this all positioning? Is Maliki just trying to shore up domestic support by breaking so obviously with the U.S.? Is there anything more meaningful here? Are leaders in Congress still going to trample each other in a race to kiss his ring?

UPDATE: I don't see a poll on this particular conflict, but a poll on Israel's handling of the Gilad Shalit crisis had a clear majority of Americans supporting Israel—52 percent, with 17 percent saying "give into Palestinian demands."