Two Iraq Experts See Iraq Slowly Sliding Towards A Sectarian Civil War

Petraeus: Iraq Looks Worse Today Than It Did In 2006 -- David Petraeus, Stars and Stripes/Foreign Policy

The news out of Iraq is, once again, exceedingly grim. The resurrection of al-Qaida in Iraq — which was on the ropes at the end of the surge in 2008 — has led to a substantial increase in ethno-sectarian terrorism in the Land of the Two Rivers. The civil war next door in Syria has complicated matters greatly, aiding the jihadists on both sides of the border and bringing greater Iranian involvement in Mesopotamia. And various actions by the Iraqi government have undermined the reconciliation initiatives of the surge that enabled the sense of Sunni Arab inclusion and contributed to the success of the venture. Moreover, those Iraqi government actions have also prompted prominent Sunnis to withdraw from the government and led the Sunni population to take to the streets in protest. As a result of all this, Iraqi politics are now mired in mistrust and dysfunction.

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Update: Iraq on the Brink: Exclusive Interview with Amb. Ryan Crocker -- Defense One

My Comment: The analysis from both David Petraeus and Amb. Ryan Crocker are a depressing read .... and probably accurate.