The latest from Bing West

Would you like to be able to see and understand the Iraq situation a little more clearly? (hah! wouldn't we just...) Read the latest observations of intrepid reporter, Bing West of Small Wars Journal here. He's just back from his latest trip to Iraq and he makes some brilliant observations. Here's a taste:

..."for the US to achieve the goal of relative stability in Iraq, by the end of 2007 three battlefield conditions must be met. First, Iraq's predominantly Shiite army must demonstrate a strategy and a momentum against a resumption of Shiite ethnic cleansing in and around Baghdad. Second, in Anbar the Iraqi army and the predominantly Sunni police must sustain the momentum for eradicating al Qaeda in Iraq. Third, in the rest of the Sunni Triangle, the Iraqi Army must prevent al Qaeda from developing sanctuaries.

Background. Iraq's 26 million traumatized inhabitants have few leaders, are rent by religious and ethnic antagonisms, and are slaughtered and terrified by the Grendel-like monster called al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). The reasonable timeline for counterinsurgency and nation-building under such conditions is ten to twenty years. The administration and the Pentagon attempted to complete "full-spectrum counterinsurgency" - i.e., clear, hold and rebuild the key cities - in 2005, transition to Iraqi forces in 2006, and begin leaving in 2007. If accomplished, that would have been the fastest turnaround in history. "

Do yourself a favor and read the whole thing. It's a keeper and Bing has a great site going with lots of interesting stuff.

Check it out. Oh, and before I forget, may God bless our troops.