Iraqi Sunni Bloc Rejoins Government

I was just reading a story at Yahoo News, which indicates, that much of what we have criticized the Iraqi government about over the last year may be changing for the better. There is a slight possibility that those of us who have been clamoring for our Troops withdrawal from Iraq, since the Iraqi government went on "vacation" last August may have been wrong. The surge may have worked, though we will not know for sure until we actually draw down below the pre-surge troop levels, and see if the violence increases to pre-surge levels once more.

We have also been lucky that the cleric al-Sadr decided to continue with his cease fire, so while bringing the Troops home under any circumstances, is still probably the Best Bet, there is a chance that we may "win" this war after all. At least "win" enough to be able to leave without the Vietnam scenario playing out again. We shall have to watch closely, but al-Malicki endorses a Obama "type" plan for withdrawal, and the Sunni bloc rejoining the government, are two indicators that this could end in the forseeable future.

Anyway the story reads:
Iraq's largest Sunni Arab political bloc ended a nearly yearlong boycott of the Shiite-led government Saturday in another step toward healing the sectarian rifts that once brought almost daily bloodshed.

The National Accordance Front agreed to return after parliament approved six Sunni officials to fill vacant seats in the Cabinet. But the gesture had wider implications — seen as a significant step toward political reconciliation and efforts to cement security cooperation between Shiite-led forces and armed Sunni groups that rose up against al-Qaida in Iraq. The United States has pressured Iraq's government to work toward reconciliation, hoping it will add stability and ease the burden on U.S. and other foreign forces.

On a visit Saturday to Baghdad, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said plans are being made to scale back troops in Iraq, but refused to consider an "artificial timetable" for withdrawing Britain's remaining 4,000 soldiers. Brown's comments — following meetings with Iraqi leaders — come in advance of next week's scheduled address to British lawmakers on Iraq, when he is expected to give more details on troop reduction plans as insurgent attacks and militia violence drops sharply around Iraq.

No specific troop withdrawal figures have been made public, but a senior British military officer has predicted substantial troop cuts in Iraq next year."It is certainly our intention that we reduce troop numbers, but I am not going to give an artificial timetable at the moment," Brown said following talks with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani. A departure of more British forces will have little bearing on the battlefield. The troops, mostly based outside the southern city of Basra, no longer have a combat role and are involved mostly with training Iraqi security units. Britain's moves come about four months after Iraqi opened a major offensive in Basra to root out Shiite militias with suspected links to Iran. The campaign — which began with disarray among Iraqi forces — ultimately gained ground with U.S. help and reclaimed wide control over Iraq's second-largest city and key oil center.

Although Britain maintains the second-largest foreign military force in Iraq, it is dwarfed by the approximately 150,000 U.S. soldiers currently in the country. Brown's meeting in Baghdad also included Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq. The break in the Iraqi political impasse came after parliament unanimously backed Sunni candidates to fill the post of deputy prime minister and head five midlevel ministries, including higher education and communications. Four other Cabinet posts were filled by Shiites. The Front pulled its members from the 39-member Cabinet last August, complaining it was sidelined in important decisions. The political rift left al-Maliki's government without partners in bids to find common ground with Sunni leaders.

Sunni Arabs, who represent about 20 percent of the country, were highly favored under Saddam Hussein but the tables turned after his ouster when Iraq's majority Shiites held sway. The rivalries spilled over into a wave of sectarian killings and al-Qaida bombings apparently aimed at triggering civil war. But Sunni sheiks last year began to organize militias — later known as Awakening Councils — against insurgents. Their role has been considered key in undercutting al-Qaida networks and helping reduce violence around Iraq to its lowest levels in four years. "What happened today is a national step forward to boost the government's role and take the national reconciliation ahead," said the bloc's spokesman, Saleem Abdullah. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, hailed the political pact as "a very important step forward."

The new Sunni Arab cabinet members join two others already in the government: Defense Minister Abdul-Qader al-Obeidi and former Front member Ali Baban, who heads the influential planning minister. Baban was kicked out of the Front for refusing to follow the boycott. The Front and its allies also hold 44 of the 275 parliamentary seats. They continued to take part in legislative affairs despite the government boycott. The four new Shiite members of the Cabinet filled posts abandoned last year by followers of the anti-U.S. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. They al-Sadr loyalists walked out after the prime minister refused demands for a timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. The posts include transportation and tourism and archaeology.

So while this may not be the end of troubles in Iraq, perhaps it is a new start, and anything that gets our Troops home sooner, is a good thing!!