THERE'S GOOD NEWS, THERE'S BAD NEWS

A story today about an experiment in getting an Iraqi city prepared to police itself, having US forces withdraw to the outside of the city. Mixed results, as Ba'athists begin to target those who would have to make it work (although increasingly, as I suggested several weeks ago, there begins to appear a tipping point, where this strategy begins to work in our favor. Rather than frightening people from working with the coalition it starts to look like it will anger them more and more. Which I guess is what the Iraqi bloggers have been trying to tell us, isn't it?) (Quick note: in hard copy, a different headline. The story is labelled, I think more accurately, "Bombing is Blow to Iraq City That Has Plan to Police Itself."

In any event, good news: the lead Sheik has this to say about the commanding General of the 82nd Airborne: "He listens and he respects us." That is exactly the kind of relationship we need to have, and to have it with influence leaders in the community has to go a long way. (Can we pass that on to every one, from Senators to protest marchers, who keep saying the Iraqi people want X, Y, and Z, but never seem to have any proof of what they think, want or say they need -- but are quite sure the occupation is composed of aggressive imperialists imposing their will?)

Bad news: "In interviews, many of Ramadi's policemen say they still do not have guns, radios or cars." These people are putting their lives on the line to make this work -- can we at least give them the tools they need to get the job done? This is insanity. Everyone keeps saying there's a window within which we can make this work (although I do notice that window's closing is ever receding, that doesn't mean time doesn't matter) -- let's pry our wallets open with a crow bar and start spending some of that $87B, what say?