What's Going on in Iraq:

1. Sectarian Violence or Civil War?
2. A New Strategy, or new Tactics?
3. Democracy with Armed Political Parties

What's Going on in Iraq?

I've got several clips that I'm going to play from President Bush, some of his generals, and a UK general on the current tactics and strategy in Iraq. Despite the constant barrage of bad news on Iraq in the mainstream media, a recent change of tactics by the military there have produced some outstanding results. It's not perfect, it's not safe, and it's clearly not complete. Step by step the combination of forces are bringing about peace and will eventually defeat the insurgents. First, I will play some clips from Major General William Caldwell, the spokesman for the multinational force in Iraq. The full transcript can be found here. In this excerpt he discusses the current method of combining Iraqi and coalition forces to address the security situation in the worst neighborhoods in Bagdad. This is from his opening prepared remarks.

Play clip.

One of the questions prompted a description of Dura, previously the most violent area, now down to zero attacks through their clear, protect, and build tactics.

Play clip.

It's progress. But is it just window dressing to hide a civil war? Just ask Lt. Gen. Sir Robert Fry, Deputy Commander of Multi National Force-Iraq. He spoke to the press via video conference. The Pentagon Channel Podcast supplied the audio feed. He offers his opinion on "the valedictory message of the erstwhile British ambassador being leaked as he was leaving Baghdad". Dana Milbank reported on this in the Washington Post, in his column entitled The Wagging of the 'Civil' Tongues that several former officials were starting to use the Civil War descriptor. He writes:

About the same time, William Patey, the departing British ambassador to Iraq, cautioned that "a low-intensity civil war and a de facto division of Iraq is probably more likely at this stage than a successful and substantial transition to a stable democracy."

That's all Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) needed to hear. "This is a civil war," he declared.

Play clip.

Words, words, words. Sectarian conflict or civil war? Who knows, but Fry has experienced both. Later on Nick Simione of Fox News asks for clarification.

Play clip.

What can be done? How about what General Caldwell reported they were actually doing? Clear, Protect and Build seems to be working pretty well.

Pam Hess of UPI has a question that gets to the heart of the matter. Why are we so touchy about the terms? It's just semantics, right? Listen to Fry respond that it is far more than just words.

Play clip.

"Proper language", indeed. Finally, President Bush has been asked about the distinctions. He addressed the importance of staying in Iraq to defeat the insurgents in his press conference this week. I'm going to play three short clips from the press conference. This first is an answer to Martha Radditz who asks if we don't need "a new strategy" in Iraq.

Play clip.

It's not a changing strategy that is required, it is the proper application of new tactics. A constantly shifting strategy is deadly with our enemies around the world watching our every step. As Bush said,

[If] we leave before the mission is done, the terrorists will follow us here.

The next clip has the first question he was asked, also about Iraq.

Play clip.

He is quiet eloquent in front of the press, I think. The final clip provides a response to those who have been saying that the Democratization of the Middle East is a lost cause. Some cite the violence in the Palestinian Authority, Iraq, and Lebanon to say that Democracy can't work; it only results in the elections of violent terrorist groups like Hezbollah or Hamas. But you don't have a Democracy when one political party in a country has all the weapons. Imagine what the United States would be like if the police had no power, the miltary was ineffective, and the Democratic Party were the only ones with guns. That's what Lebanon is like today, and it is not Democracy.

Hamas is one of two political parties in Gaza with a militia. Hezbollah is the only political party in Lebanon with a militia. In Iraq, Muktada Al Sadar is a religious leader with a militia. That is not a democracy. The Iraqi government has a plan to deal with Sadar, but has yet to act. The Palestinians may never act. We hope, as does President Bush, that Lebanonese government will gain control over Hezbollah, and that Democracy will return to Lebanon. Listen to the clip.

Play clip.

That's it for now Podcatchers.