STAYING THE COURSE? Alaa at The Mesopotamian is at once troubled and hopeful about Baghdad's future.

Nevertheless, I don't think the situation is hopeless and I still believe that somehow the Government and the Americans will manage in the end, thanks to the patience and perseverence of the American leadership and the patriotic elements in the Iraqi side.

Al Maliki is proving to be a very sensible man, so far. I wish him luck.

I hope to find the time to tell you much more.

Stay safe.

Donald Sensing posts a somewhat different troubled and hopeful post at Winds of Change.

[Iraq's] army does not have to be as good as America's, it only has to be better than Iran's, Syria's, Jordan's or Saudi Arabia's. Of these four nations, only Iran can be considered a real threat from both political and military bases. Turkey is to Iraq's north and has a very strong martial tradition; also it is not an Arab country. The odds of the Iraqi army gaining parity with the Turks is remote. Fortunately, Turkey is an American ally and poses no threat to Iraq.

Would that last sentence still be true if Iraq becomes more of a federation with something representing Kurdish sovereignty in the north?