In the Case of Withdrawal from Iraq, Let's Not Move to Hastily

Iraq in the Balance by Fouad Ajami is an insightful piece that explains the religious complexities and tensions in Iraq, which he sees Iraq in a "fourth phase" where the unease of trusting what was once a highly credible Madi army of Sadr. The Shia, who have typically suffered the violence and atrocities of the past, are now in a position to act and shed the habits of an oppressed majority:

In recent days, in the southern city of Diwaniyya, American and Iraqi forces have together battled the forces of Moqtada al-Sadr. To the extent that the Shia now see Iraq as their own country, their tolerance for mayhem and chaos has receded. Sadr may damn the American occupiers, but ordinary Shia men and women know that the liberty that came their way had been a gift of the Americans.

Another great read!