Omar, an Iraqi who manages Iraq The Model, makes an interesting observation that those who insist that Iraq is descending into chaos ought to note. In the course of writing about the recent agreement of the militias to disband, Omar observes that: "The U.S.-led coalition tried to persuade the militias to disband last year but failed because leaders were unwilling to give up their armed fighters at a time of deteriorating security." He adds that: "I guess this indicates an interesting change in the Iraqi parties' evaluation about the security condition in the country."
It does indeed seem that the parties involved must be convinced that the Iraqi police and the American military have the situation well enough in hand to cede to them their right to protect themselves and their families. This is certainly an important implication of the agreement to disband and very good news. I'm sure the major news outlets, eager as they are to find positive stories to report from Iraq, will be quick to draw similar surmises in the days to come. Or not.
