Iraq and Afghanistan

Security Council

Today the Security Council passed the much awaited resolution on Iraq. It lays a basis for international support for the process that is now occurring in Iraq and also wipes away much of the confusion stemming from the failed American attempt to go it alone. Juan Cole and others have voiced many criticisms by themselves and others about the details of this resolution and of other measures such as the proposed voting law. However, to my mind, no matter how faulty all of this might be, the important issue on the ground is the extent to which the Iraqis who count regard the process as proceeding in their direction and away from American control. I believe they sense that now. This may not stop the violence immediately, but as long as this sense holds in most of the country, the country will be moving in the right direction. It appears to me now that the trend of violence in Iraq is toward more and more attacks on Iraqis and away from attempts to drive Americans out of the country. Of course, the new government must succeed in working with Americans for reducing this killing. But they will have a few months now to do this, and such an opportunity has not existed for the last several months.