Iraq

Let's start with a question: Is it coincidence that as Al Qaeda attacks on other "cooperating" Sunni groups are increasing (Reuters), Zalmay Khalilzad very publicly discusses several of those "cooperating" Sunni groups (BBC) putting them in the crosshairs?

(Khalilzad tried to bring them in, negotiations broke down, and now Khalilzad is sending Al Qaeda after them? To pressure them back or is he ass covering, "I tried?")

(WaPo) New Ambassador Ryan Crocker arrives tomorrow.

(NYTimes) A new deBaathification plan has been announced. (Note that this is a plan and still has to be passed into law. Like the oil law plan which was so heralded but still, a month later, has not been brought for a vote.)

(AP) "The U.S. Navy on Tuesday began its largest demonstration of force in the Persian Gulf since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, led by a pair of aircraft carriers and backed by warplanes flying simulated attack maneuvers off the coast of Iran."

(BBC) "The British government was advised against publicly criticising a report estimating that 655,000 Iraqis had died due to the war, the BBC has learnt."

And, The whole Iran/EFP thing was a tactical lie. "Our intelligence analysts advised our leaders that the historical Quds Force pattern is to pull back when their operations are exposed, so MNF-I leadership decided to expose their operations to save American lives,” said Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV.