Four More Days to Secure Iraq

Today there was another major car bombing in Baghdad. That reminded me of the report issued this summer by a team of experts hand-picked by the Pentagon to assess the situation in Iraq. The group, led by former Assistant Defense Secretary John Hamre, concluded that the U.S. administration in Iraq had three months to get their act together. Specifically, the July 17 report said:

The next 12 months will be decisive; the next three months are crucial to turning around the security situation, which is volatile in key parts of the country. All players are watching closely to see how resolutely the coalition will handle this challenge. The Iraqi population has exceedingly high expectations, and the window for cooperation may close rapidly if they do not see progress on delivering security, basic services, opportunities for broad political involvement, and economic opportunity.

Let’s see… three months from July 17 is… hmm… October 17? Can that be right? I must have done my math wrong, because that’s just 4 days from today. But with today’s car bombing, it seems like we still have some work to do in making Iraq secure. Adding it up, we’ve seen:

Two major car bomb attacks, killing at least 15 to 20 people…

One assassination of a Spanish intelligence official…

Numerous attacks on Iraqi oil assets, starting at least two pipeline fires and killing two oil company employees…

Seven US soldiers killed in guerrilla attacks…

And over 100 other attacks on US forces…

…All in just the PAST 8 DAYS.

Good thing we have 4 more days until the October 17 deadline for “turning around the security situation.”

Kash