Iraq Foreign Minister: "If US Pulls Out, Iraq Falls in to Civil War"

From the Associated Press:

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Iraqis "understand the huge pressure that will increase more and more in the United States" ahead of the progress report by the U.S. ambassador and top commander in Iraq.

"We have held discussion with members of Congress and explained to them the dangers of a quick pull out (from Iraq) and leaving a security vacuum," Zebari said. "The dangers could be a civil war, dividing the country, regional wars and the collapse of the state.

"In our estimations, until Iraqi forces are ready, there is a responsibility on the United States to stand with the (government) as the forces are being built," he said.

Does Sen. George Voinovich and his fellow White Flag Republicans have a response to the Foreign Minister? Or are they, like their friends on the other side of the aisle, only interested in headlines and scoring political points?

This is sad, but interesting:

Iraqi commanders say U.S. and Iraqi troops are making progress in a three-pronged security sweep launched in mid-June — one in Baghdad, another to the northeast in Baqouba and the third to the south. The offensives on Baghdad's doorsteps aim to uproot al-Qaida militants and other insurgents using the regions to plan attacks in the capital.

But Saturday's attack on Armili indicated extremists were moving further north to strike at unprotected regions, and the devastation wreaked there sparked anger at Iraqi security forces for failing to stop them.

The attack was among the deadliest in Iraq in months, though there was still confusion over the death toll.

Look who the Iraqis are blaming...it isn't the US military. The Iraqis understand that they have to get their act together.

I'm also noting that it appears that our enemy has shifted the battlefield once again. I'm no military genius, but it seems to me as if what we need to do is fix our enemy in place somewhere and then smash them. It is easier said than done, but this particular enemy seems rather adept at slipping through our fingers...

What's even more surprising is the solution that is being proposed by Iraqi authorities: arm the citizenry. Imagine that...