al abbadi, they sent a delegation to iran to get him approved of al abbadi to get approved. put this country back together, it will again be an instrument of iran, not of ours. i think what we should do, our best case is to declare the survival of kurdistan, they are very pro u.s. they have the same goals and values we do, and tell the arab nations and the iranians that the isis threat over there is a threat to us, but it's a far greater threat to you and you get in there and clean that up. >> you know, i'm so glad to have somebody else say that, because general, one of the frustrations is that it looks like the blood being shed on behalf of a stable middle east is essentially being shed by the americans and the israelis and everybody else is happy to buy a ticket and watch. but i don't see the saudis sh showing up and going out there to battle and being the boots on the gruchbd. >> the saudis have to feel the heat before they're going to do that. if we're going to do it, they're just going to sit back and watch. the saudis are reluctant to get into a battle against isis, be

however i have also seen prime minister al abbadi say they will not send the iraqi army deep into sunniregions again. and that they are going to try to build a national regard. i think now what they're arguing about if i understand it is who do they trust enough from the shia and the sunni to do that mission? so, the proof will be in the pudding. having spent five years in iraq i have learned to trust nothing. but i at least was encouraged that abbadi said we will not send the iraqi army deep into the provinces and we will use the national guard. >> i have a lot more questions but i'm out of time so thank you. >> senator mccain. >> i think the witnesses and i think mr. connable and ambassador ford thank you for your outstanding service. mr. connable if i got you right the iranians are in a position of significant influence in baghdad right now. is that correct? >> i believe that to be true. >> that can't be good for our interest over time. >> i agree with you. >> and another legacy of total withdrawal. >> i think that would have happened anyway. it was exasperated by the fact that the w