Melanie Phillips points out holes in the Obama campaign's denials of Amir Taheri's report that Barack was working to undermine American foreign policy for his own political advantage, by seeking to persuade the Iraqi government  to delay negotiating the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.

The Obama campaign -- via ABC's Jake Tapper -- noted that Bush administration officials and others said he had done no such thing in the meeting they all attended.  But was Tapper had?

As Ms. Phillips notes, Taheri's account alludes to a private meeting between Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari and Barack -- not a group meeting including Senator Chuck Hagel, Bush administration officials and Prime Minister al-Maliki (which is the one Tapper wrote about).

So let's someone ask Barack tonight:  In any meeting, ever, with any Iraqi official, did you attempt to persuade Iraqi officials to delay negotiating troop withdrawals with the Bush Administration?