[MNJohnnie]

I think Fallugha really shocked the radicals. I think they were counting on US being too PC to send the Marines in afterthem. God BLESS those Marines.

[babygene]

My guess is that this is all part of a larger strategy.

Iran is isolated, Iraq is neutralized, and we are counting on Israel to kick the butts of Syria, Jordan and Egypt as well as take out the nuclear capability of Iran.

I think that was the plan from the get go.

[APRPEH]

this analysis is interesting but a little "over-thought". the reality is far simpler. there are no moderates in arabia. there are vested interests based upon shia/sunni interests with regional and family interests operating below the larger facade. essentially, these are semi-organized clans and tribes attempting to come to their own rough balance of power with the western influence of American and her allies impacting the equation. whether the impact works to the advantage of the US or any one of or group of or confederation of the various parties remains to be seen. it was naive in a good way for the US to try and re-build part of arabia in her own image. the best answer and still possible strategy is to work for a 3 way division of iraq into kurd, sunni and shia entities. by doing so we could achieve a quick victory to the north with the kurds, return the sunni middle to the shiekdoms that effectively run it anyway, and realize that we will be drawing in iran to the south but use this as a pretext for the upcoming attack on iran which i believe most of us here at FR know must happen.