Iraq two years on: Endgame or unending war?

The BBC are still rooting for the terrorists in Iraq. In this article, Paul Reynolds examines the optimists and pessimists views on the terrorists situation in Iraq and sides with the pessimists.

However, the quality of these forces is in doubt and only a few units have shown combat capability.

The number of insurgents remains uncertain with estimates putting them at about 20,000 active fighters. And they remain capable of mounting mass attacks as the assault on the Abu Ghraib prison recently demonstrated.

It is therefore not over yet.

The issue is whether it might be over in due course.

Reynolds must have missed last weeks announcement that the terrorists were looking for an exit strategy out of Iraq.

Sharif Ali Bin al-Hussein, who heads Iraq's main monarchist movement and is in contact with guerrilla leaders, said many insurgents including former officials of the ruling Ba'ath party, army officers, and Islamists have been searching for a way to end their campaign against US troops and Iraqi government forces since the January 30 election.

He also seems not have noticed the increasing number of Iraqis turning on the terrorists.

As she telephoned to report the men, Fatma became one of an increasing number of Iraqis tipping off the authorities. Officials say it's a sign the country's fledgling security forces are winning the trust of citizens, turning them against the insurgency.

US and Iraqi officials say they have seen an increase in calls in recent weeks, especially after Iraq's Jan. 30 elections, although there were no overall figures available on how many people have offered information. In a sign the phenomenon is gathering momentum, some Iraqis told reporters that when they called in information, they were told others already had reported the same incident.

Far from demonstrating the terrorists can still mount major assaults, the assault on the Abu Ghraib prison shows the terrorists are unable to attract new recruits. There are over 3000 terrorists locked up in the prison and the attack did not free a single one of them. In fact, over a dozen were killed.

Reynolds finishes with this:

Its key task will be the writing of a new constitution by August, to be followed by a referendum and full elections in December.

Only then will it be possible to say for sure whether democracy has taken hold.

No, Reynolds. That question was answered by the 8 million Iraqis who defied the terrorists and voted in Jan.

The tide has turned in Iraq just as it did in Afghanistan and just like there, nothing the BBC or Reynolds can say will turn it back in favor of the terrorists.

If you would like a much better and extensive report on the situation in Iraq, see Chrenkoff's report in the Wall Street Journal. The report is broken down into different sections and if you want to compare Reynolds with Chrenkoff, just scroll down to the "Security" section at the bottom.
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