Important Reading

If you want to know what is happening in the Iraqi government and why it seems so slow to act Bill Ardolino is publishing a series of articles in the Long War Journal that takes a look inside. While many here in our MSM want to blame it on sectarianism and even outright lie about real progress but it has more to do with simple beaurocratic inefficiency and inexperience. Heck look at all the same problems in our own bloated government's ability to get things done. The Iraqis recently passed an important reconcilliation law aimed at reincorporating former members of the Baath party back into the government and are speeding up the process of getting oil revenues distributed. The mechanisms for doing this earlier simply did not exist untill recently and I would expect to see a massive upsurge in reconstruction and job creation over the next year.
Go read Bill's excellent analysis for a deeper understanding of the process as it slowly begins to unwind in a positive direction and then compare it to what the Democrats in Congress are saying because they don't know what the hell they are talking about, part 1 is here and part 2 is here.
Mike Yon is even walking around what were some of the most dangerous areas of Baghdad without a helmet or body armor now and that says alot as he is usually overly careful.

These words come to you from South Baghdad, where signs of progress are unmistakable. I am with 1-4 CAV in an area that was among the most dangerous in Iraq during early and mid 2007. But a few days ago I walked down a road—wearing no body armor or helmet—where just 7 or 8 months ago tanks and Strykers would have been in great danger. Signs of progress are everywhere and encouraging, but I sense the criticality that we keep funding flowing to commanders here. Money is ammunition in a counterinsurgency, and commanders have learned to use it effectively at local levels. They say it is better to open schools, build sidewalks and clean up soccer fields than buy tanks or lethal weapons.