Iraqi Prime Minister Criticizes U.S. Raid in Baghdad

Here's a story with a pessimistic spin on the progress of our security efforts in Baghdad:

Chances dim for peace in Baghdad

The Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Al-Maliki, is apparently being torn between pacifying the Mahdi army, which is the Shiite militia of Moqtada Al-Sadr, and leaving Al-Sadr alone. Al-Sadr is a very important member of the ruling coalition that chose Al-Maliki to be prime minister.

The United States is in a complicated battle with Iran and its proxies. It may get much, much worse before it gets any better, and not just in Iraq and Israel.

Even if we follow the best strategy and make the best tactical choices all along the way, the cost and the pain of the resulting events are likely to be high. Only time will tell how many sacrifices we will have to make and how many people will suffer.