I just came across this news story (about two weeks old), that the U.S. government is blackmailing Iraq:

The US is holding hostage some $50bn (£25bn) of Iraq's money in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to pressure the Iraqi government into signing an agreement seen by many Iraqis as prolonging the US occupation indefinitely.

It's come down to this, petty blackmail, to try and get that mission accomplished? Incredible.