Does al-Maliki Read FFB?

Just the other day, I posted on the autonomy that client states have vis-a-vis their patrons--that once a superpower, or great power, installs a regime in a client state, the leader(s) of the client state have the ability under many sets of circumstances to make life difficult for their "masters." And just this week, Iraqi P.M. answered a question about Bush administration criticism of his regime by claiming that such criticism only emboldens terrorists. That's the scenario, exactly. Maliki was asked whether Bush needs him more than he needs Bush, and Maliki laughed.

It is an interesting question: Who needs whom more?