My Iraq Opinion.

[econ21]

I agree with some of PanzerJaeger's analysis but not the conclusion. To the extent that the insurgency is devolving into a Sunni rebellion, I wonder if it is possible to defuse it by greater decentralisation - rather than civil war? Give the Sunnis greater autonomy - make Iraq into a Belgium - and you might reduce their willingness to align with al-Zarqawi and fellow Jihadis.

But I do agree that getting the Iraqi security forces to fight the insurgency is probably better than relying on the Coalition troops. It makes it harder to portray the insurgency as an nationalist/anti-Western struggle and again should help isolate the hardcore.

[Hurin_Rules]

Just one quick note:

Many people, including within the CIA, knew that the Americans weren't going to be cheered in the streets. The Analysts within the Pentagon knew this. But of course Rumsfeld, Bush and Cheney didn't want to scare the American people away from the war by telling them that. So Cheney said that the Iraqis would welcome the Americans with flowers and candy. But many people, myself included, noted repeatedly, long before the war began, that it wasn't going to be the cakewalk Cheney and Rumsfeld were making it out to be. The insurgency was predictable; in fact, it was predicted.