Chasing ghosts in Baquba

McClatchy hits on what I've been wondering. The lack of heavy action and the low number of enemy killed and captured suggests in Baquba suggests that the entire "Arrowhead Ripper" operation is just chasing ghosts.

I guess then, it's no wonder the Baquba campaign is about to come to an inconclusive end, (Reuters) "U.S. forces believe the initial combat phase of a major offensive to clear al Qaeda from the Iraqi city of Baquba is nearly complete and any militants left could be confronted in the next 24 hours."

The general sense from the officers in the operation seems to be that the Sunnis were tipped and melted away. Not really a surprise considering that the US was working with Sunni insurgent groups like 1920s brigade.

Then, to make it all worse, once the US pulls back out of Diyala, the insurgents will just flow back in. It costs about $200 to get through an Iraqi checkpoint. (AFP)

(Also today, there was a significant bombing on the Mansour hotel in Baghdad killing Sunni tribal leaders for Anbar who were working with the US. It was one of five major bombings spreading from Mosul to Hillah.)