Yesterday Shiite followers of Moqtada al-Sadr marched in Najaf to mark the 4th anniversary of the fall of Saddam. At this point it looks like the Bush administration is trying to keep the situation on cruise control, and not let it spiral out of control, at least while they’re in office. For one thing, I don’t think that’s possible, as “the surge” wares on, the locals are getting restless, they are only going to get more and more aggressive at the sametime as we get more and more beat up and worn down. I don’t see how we are going to see any improvements in the situation over there. If we pull out there will be a genocide, and if we stay we are only prolonging the inevitable, while even further exacerbating the situation. At this point al-Sadr is leading an army, pictured below. We can kill al-Sadr, and someone else will step into his place the same day.
Since there is no way we can win, we have lost.