Military Progress; Political Deadlock

The Brookings Institute says there is finally real progress, at least in military terms, going on in Iraq. Citing falling civilian fatality rates, increased competence among Iraqi security forces, high U.S. troop morale, and growing popular resentment against al Qaida, researchers from the institute argue things are looking up in the troubled region.

But it is the political situation U.S. lawmakers will probably look to in large measure in September when it comes time to evaluate the new strategy. Despite unprecedented cooperation among sectarian groups in Iraq's military, political sectarianism is running high. This week five more Sunni ministers left Prime Minister's Nouri al-Maliki's unity government, leaving him with no Sunni political representation. Of course, one could argue the military strategy as it unfolds is creating the environment necessary to achieve political progress (i.e., things going according to plan), but tensions remain high as Washington politicians look for political gains as evidence of Iraq's ability to become a stable democracy. Gen. Petraeus, U.S. commander in Iraq, has said himself that counterinsurgency operations are 80% political, 20% military. Can Iraqi leaders make good on the military gains while there's still time?

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