Merv, the Prairie Pundit says it pretty well – "We are on the edge of a historic strategic victory against al Qaeda. Only the Democrats can save the enemy at this point". Dave Kilcullen explains how the United States counter-insurgency is working in Iraq. Most people want to live safe peaceful lives and the details involve how to develop trust at the grassroots level so communities help rid themselves of the violent.
Anatomy of a Tribal Revolt: All this means that correctly handled, with appropriate safeguards, and in partnership with the Iraqi government, the current social “wave” of Sunni communities turning against AQI could provide one element in the self-sustaining security architecture we have been seeking. And if the recent spread of the uprising into the Shi’a community continues, we might end up with a revolt of the center against both extremes, which would be a truly major development.The rate of change towards peace is enhanced by the presence of a catalyst, which is the role our military is playing. Kilcullen says, “Coalition forces have provided support to the community and to Iraqi forces operating in the area, and hence tend to play the role of honest broker”. I like the idea of a revolt of the center against both extremes. It could be one of the lessons from Iraq we can apply to ourselves.
