My Head Hurts

I realize that I don't understand everything that's going on in Iraq... it's infuriatingly complicated. Every once in a while I kid myself into thinking I understand some finite component but my moment of smug is usually fleeting. A fresh perspective and/or contradicting pieces of information are always just a click or two away.

For example, I don't think I actually considered the idea that the much discussed risk of genocide in Iraq (post pullout) was, in fact, already in progress. I tended to think of the daily haul of bodies from the Euphrates in terms of civil war and sectarian violence. Newsweek points out that the ethnic cleansing in Baghdad has already profoundly changed its make up and, perhaps, contributed to the decrease in insurgent attacks. (Via Josh Marshall)

Also, although I was peripherally aware that we're wheeling and dealing for peace with everyone in Iraq, what I never expected is that Bush would meet personally with Sunni militias (and insurgent leaders?) in Anbar. Apparently we can now count them among our "frenemies"? I'm not sure what it will mean in the long run, exactly, but I don't think anything good has ever come from having "frenemies" in that region.