Surge.... Ding!

Stick a fork in the surge, it's officially done. The Washington Post is reporting that the Iraqi government has officially declared that their government can't get past the sectarian differences within the body itself. As the Post puts it: Iraqi leaders argue that sectarian animosity is entrenched in the structure of their government.

Summing up the state of the surge is TPM:

In other words, the strategic goal of the Surge -- creating the breathing room for political reconcilation -- is one the Iraqi government no longer appears to believe is either credible or realistic. So what we've signed on for is being the permanent armed mediator in the Iraqi domestic quarrel, or perhaps protracted divorce.

8 October 2007