Big Magilla Morphs

The big magilla has turned into the little boy and the dyke, and I'm not feeling too good myself.

Juan Cole's piece today summarizes what is happening with the big offensive offensive in Diyala. Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarak today admitted that Iraqi troops are not capable of "holding" the area's "cleared" in Diyala:

BAQOUBA, Iraq - The U.S. commander of a new offensive north of Baghdad, reclaiming insurgent territory day by day, said yesterday his Iraqi partners may be too weak to hold onto the gains made.

The Iraqi military does not even have enough ammunition, said Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek: "They're not quite up to the job yet." His counterpart south of Baghdad seemed to agree, saying U.S. troops are too few to garrison the districts in the capital newly rid of insurgents. "It can't be coalition [U.S.] forces. We have what we have. There's got to be more Iraqi security forces," said Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch.

The two commanders spoke after a deadly day for the U.S. military in Iraq. At least 12 soldiers were killed on Saturday from roadside bombings and other causes, raising the U.S. toll for the past week to at least 32.

So what's been the point? Are they saying they didn't know this going in? Has this "offensive" been a political gambit for domestic U.S. consumption using American soldiers to make a point?

As Juan points out, Diyala has 300,000 people with 60% of them Sunni, being ruled by Shiite's and Kurds, and attacked by U.S. forces. In short, they're fed up. Diyala is now the latest recruting station for insurgents.

Here's Juan's sum-up:

So after 6 days of hard fighting, in which US troops were killed and wounded, what do we have?

A sullen, defiant Sunni Arab urban population.

A guerrilla leadership that slipped away.

An Iraqi army unable actually to hold the 'cleared' neighborhoods, which are likely to throw up more guerrilla leaders and campaigns.

A continued dominance of Sunni Arabs in Diyala by a Shiite government completely unacceptable to them.

A US commitment to upholding the Shiite ("Iraqi") government.

So I am angry because this looks to me like we sent our guys to fight and die for a piece of political quicksand in which the entire endeavor is likely to sink.

It is not right.

No. It's not right. It's immoral.