Obama's abandonment of Iraq compels Iraqi leaders to turn to Iran for guidance

"Iranian ambassador has a bigger role in Iraq than Biden," says Kurdish lawmaker

White House sees Iraq as "the bane of everyone's existence", says senior administraion official

As President Obama fulfills his campaign pledge to reduce America's role in Iraq, political leaders in Iraq say they are turning to neighboring countries - like Iran - for support:

American influence has so dwindled in Iraq over the last several months that Iraqi lawmakers and political leaders say they no longer follow Washington's advice for forming a government.

Instead, Iraqis are turning to neighboring nations, and especially Iran, for guidance — casting doubt on the future of the American role in this strategic country...

"The Iraqi politicians are not responding to the U.S. like before. We don't pay great attention to them," Shiite lawmaker Sami al-Askari, a close ally of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, said Thursday. "The weak American role has given the region's countries a greater sense of influence on Iraqi affairs."...

"The Iranian ambassador has a bigger role in Iraq than Biden," said a prominent Kurdish lawmaker, Mahmoud Othman. He said the Americans "will leave Iraq with its problems, thus their influence has become weak."...

Washington, which has its hands full with the war in Afghanistan..., sees Iraq as "the bane of everyone's existence lately," said one senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the diplomatic issues...

The days of the U.S. calling the shots in Iraq are long over — largely because of President Barack Obama's intent to scale back America's presence [in Iraq]... That's led Iraqi leaders to reach out to Mideast neighbors for support and advice on brokering a new government....

It is Iraq's newly warmed alliance with Iran that worries the United States.

In a development that may have assured him a second term, al-Maliki this month won al-Sadr's backing. And this week, top Iranian officials gave al-Maliki their clearest nod of support yet during his trip to Tehran...

"There is U.S. influence in the political process..., but less so than before," said Sunni lawmaker Osama al-Nujaifi. "As they (the Americans) begin to withdraw their military, the Iranians are taking advantage of the empty space, and are ready to fill the vacuum."