Embedded journalism from the front lines of
Afghanistan & Iraq ~ by Mike & Carlos Boettcher

The past few weeks have seen a surge of suicide bombings in Iraq’s major cities. The bombers seemed to have aimed for maximum casualties, and they have succeeded. The attackers have targeted large gatherings of Shiite Moslems and their intent seems clear – to reignite sectarian violence as U.S. forces proceed with plans to withdraw from Iraq’s cities.

After two years of steadily declining violence, is Iraq set to return to the “bad old days”? I believe it will not. Since we began our embed last August, Carlos and I have spent huge amounts of time in the streets of Iraq’s major cities. We’ve talked to shopowners, ditch diggers, engineers, husbands, wives and children. All of them have one thing in common – after decades of war, they are weary of war and have frown accustomed to a period of peace.

In thirty years reporting from the world’s war zones I have seen this phenomenon before. War fatigue sets in and humans caught in non-stop conflict say “enough”. I saw this in El Salvador and Nicaragua. South Africa and Lebanon. The people said “no more” and “give peace a chance”. Indifference was tossed aside and people demanded an end to it all.

That is where I believe Iraqi’s are at this moment. Each day they see less of their occupiers – U.S. troops – and more of their own security forces patrolling their streets. Blood feuds and sectarian struggles do not disappear, but are set aside and allowed to cool.

Colonel Joseph Martin, who commands the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division in west Baghdad calls it irreversible momentum. I recently interviewed him and he explained his theory. His interview is worth watching.