the reason, explains ryan crocker, is that there's still much at stake in what happens in iraq for theurity of the u.s. and the wider region. >> we are seeing the most volatile and bloody times in the middle east's modern history and it is denominated in sectarian terms. this is more than anything a sectarian fight, iraq has been through that, al-qaeda is doing its best to reignite it. the situation in syria can be very contagious, so key countries like iraq have to hold and we have to help them hold or the entire region might just go up in flames. i liken syria to a forest fire. the really big ones cannot be >> reporter: yet after the thousands of american troop deaths and billions of dollars spent in iraq before the u.s. pull-out in late 2011. there is some pushback on capitol hill to maliki's requests. in a letter to the president yesterday, mccain and five other senators of both parties urged mr obama to press maliki to formulate a comprehensive political and security strategy that can stabilize the country. high on their list of complaints: iran's influence in iraq, and iran's use