Iraqi army reinforcements on Sunday moved into positions near Mosul, ready to strike al-Qaida-in-Iraq targets in the terror group’s last remaining urban stronghold.
U.S. commanders have said Iraqi security forces will take the lead in Mosul. That will mark a major test of the latter’s capabilities and thus will play a role in the Bush administration’s plans to shrink the size of U.S.-led coalition forces, eventually to be deployed as a backup for Iraqi forces.
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You know, honestly, neocons did a pretty bad job conquering Iraq for its oil.
In the first place, Iraq still produces far less oil than Saudi Arabia or Iran. Hell, even the tiny country of the United Arab Emirates pumps more oil than Iraq. Neocons instead should have invaded Alaska. California too.
Moreover if the Iraqis continue stubbornly raising and equipping their own armed forces to evict terrorists from their own country, well, in a few decades Iraq might be to the Middle-East what Japan was to the Pacific Rim during the Cold War. That would be tragic. For American liberals.
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Here’s a link to the AP’s version of the Mosul story.