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Iraq war winding down...
It looks to me like the Iraq war is winding down. That's the word we are hearing in the press too. You still have spurts of extreme violence, but it appears like the Iraqi government has been able to exercise at least modest effectiveness lately. Al Qaeda in Iraq appears near defeat. And here's an article below stating that Sadr is disarming his militia.
There are still big issues that have not yet had a final resolution, although it should be noted that stop-gap measures are serving well enough for now. The ethnic makeup of Kirkuk, oil revenue sharing, and Iraq's relationship with Iran are among the issues not yet resolved.
Last month, 13 American soldiers died in country, including the finding of two bodies from some time ago. I have heard that only 4 of these deaths were battle-related, but can't quite see where the math adds up on that. In any event, and leaving aside the other caveats (profile of American troops in the battle, etc.), violence is at a post-invasion low.
Mostly, I see this as a testament to the leadership abilities of Gen. Petraeus, who is now going on to command CentCom -- which includes both Iraq and Afghanistan. He's the first 5-star caliber soldier that this country has produced in a long, long time. It also is a testament to President Bush, who gave Petraeus what was needed to complete the task, in the face of harsh political pressure. It seems clear to me that Petraeus is Bush's U.S. Grant.
The lede from the WSJ...
There are still big issues that have not yet had a final resolution, although it should be noted that stop-gap measures are serving well enough for now. The ethnic makeup of Kirkuk, oil revenue sharing, and Iraq's relationship with Iran are among the issues not yet resolved.
Last month, 13 American soldiers died in country, including the finding of two bodies from some time ago. I have heard that only 4 of these deaths were battle-related, but can't quite see where the math adds up on that. In any event, and leaving aside the other caveats (profile of American troops in the battle, etc.), violence is at a post-invasion low.
Mostly, I see this as a testament to the leadership abilities of Gen. Petraeus, who is now going on to command CentCom -- which includes both Iraq and Afghanistan. He's the first 5-star caliber soldier that this country has produced in a long, long time. It also is a testament to President Bush, who gave Petraeus what was needed to complete the task, in the face of harsh political pressure. It seems clear to me that Petraeus is Bush's U.S. Grant.
The lede from the WSJ...
PAGE ONE
Radical Iraq Cleric in Retreat
Sadr, Power Waning,
Plans Moderate Course;
Retaining Militia
By GINA CHON
August 5, 2008; Page A1
BAGHDAD -- Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr -- long a thorn in the side of the U.S. military and Iraqi government -- intends to disarm his once-dominant Mahdi Army militia and remake it as a social-services organization.
The transformation would represent a significant turnabout for a group that, as recently as earlier this year, was seen as one of the most destabilizing anti-American forces in Iraq. For much of the past several years, the Mahdi Army, headed by Mr. Sadr, a Shiite cleric, controlled sizable chunks of Baghdad and other cities. Its brand of pro-Shiite activism had the side effect of pitting Iraqis against each other, helping to stir worries of civil war.
[image]
Associated Press
Muqtada al-Sadr in 2006
Recently, however, the group has been hit by a largely successful Iraqi military crackdown against militia members operating as criminal gangs. At the same time, Mr. Sadr's popular support is dwindling: Residents who once viewed the Mahdi Army as champions of the poor became alienated by what they saw as its thuggish behavior.
A new brochure, obtained by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed by Mr. Sadr's chief spokesman, Sheik Salah al-Obeidi, states that the Mahdi Army will now be guided by Shiite spirituality instead of anti-American militancy. The group will focus on education, religion and social justice, according to the brochure, which is aimed at Mr. Sadr's followers. The brochure also states that it "is not allowed to use arms at all."
Radical Iraq Cleric in Retreat
Sadr, Power Waning,
Plans Moderate Course;
Retaining Militia
By GINA CHON
August 5, 2008; Page A1
BAGHDAD -- Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr -- long a thorn in the side of the U.S. military and Iraqi government -- intends to disarm his once-dominant Mahdi Army militia and remake it as a social-services organization.
The transformation would represent a significant turnabout for a group that, as recently as earlier this year, was seen as one of the most destabilizing anti-American forces in Iraq. For much of the past several years, the Mahdi Army, headed by Mr. Sadr, a Shiite cleric, controlled sizable chunks of Baghdad and other cities. Its brand of pro-Shiite activism had the side effect of pitting Iraqis against each other, helping to stir worries of civil war.
[image]
Associated Press
Muqtada al-Sadr in 2006
Recently, however, the group has been hit by a largely successful Iraqi military crackdown against militia members operating as criminal gangs. At the same time, Mr. Sadr's popular support is dwindling: Residents who once viewed the Mahdi Army as champions of the poor became alienated by what they saw as its thuggish behavior.
A new brochure, obtained by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed by Mr. Sadr's chief spokesman, Sheik Salah al-Obeidi, states that the Mahdi Army will now be guided by Shiite spirituality instead of anti-American militancy. The group will focus on education, religion and social justice, according to the brochure, which is aimed at Mr. Sadr's followers. The brochure also states that it "is not allowed to use arms at all."
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