Bollocks. They were never on the verge of "conquering" anything, and there was no way they were ever going to "win", in the sense of defeating US forces. Our "victory" was not, in fact, terribly impressive: like Mike Tyson fighting Michael Jackson and having to win on points.
Bollocks yourself. al Sadr wasn't trying to offer a conventional battle, he was trying to raise the southern provinces in a guerilla warfare, which if he had managed, certainly could have defeated the American forces. At the time, you certainly seemed to think he would win.
Steven, Moqtada al Sadr just told his boys to go home, it's over. That is a far cry from his attempt to take over southern Iraq - as in physically overpower all the local governments - just a couple of months ago.
As late as June 6th, your assesment was
So we have to fight them in another place, at another time, both of their choosing.
I hope nobody is going to pretend this is a victory.
The militias have agreed to disband - al Sadr's too, now. If he tries again he will be an outlaw. True, the Iraqis will have to deal with him politically, he's not out of the picture. But the Iraqi police are policing Najaf and Karbala, not al Sadr's 'Mehdi Army' - to the general relief of their populations, according to report. That is a big positive step for the new Iraqi government.
I think you are so convinced that Iraq is sliding into chaos that you cannot even admit steps towards order. |
