Amusing Anomalies

Good News From Iraq Is Real but Elusive

Even the good news comes with a substantial degree of complexity. Bush in his speech today identified Tall Afar as an example of what can be done with a trained Iraqi force and a good method of dealing with insurgency. However, a closer examination of Tall Afar reveals a much more complicated "success" story. The key quote:

But lately, residents say, the city has taken another dark turn. "The armed men are fewer," Nassir Sebti, 42, an air-conditioning mechanic, told a Washington Post interviewer Monday, "but the assassinations between Sunni and Shiites have increased."

Even the good stories are filled with caveats.