A Credibility Chasm

The untenability and futility of the US position in Iraq is virtually encapsulated in a sad incident from yesterday:

US Army officials described how they disbanded what they called a terrorist network whose members killed tribesmen and otherwise sowed fear across large pockets of Diyala province north of Baghdad.

'There are shopkeepers who had closed their doors out of fear, that are now beginning to open their doors,' said Maj. Brett G. Sylvia, speaking from Diyala through a satellite video link to reporters in Baghdad. 'Families are starting to move back into the area. A sense of normalcy is attempting to be reestablished in this area.'

Minutes before the news conference began, armed men kidnapped the mayor of the provincial capital, Baqubah, blew up his office and stole six government cars."

So while military PR stages a press conference to advertise US successes fighting insurgents and returning "normalcy" to Diyala province (passing out press kits about the US commanders), insurgents literally blow up the city hall of Diyala province's capital and kidnap the mayor.

The journalist refers to this as a "Tale of Two Iraqs." I'm not sure what the two Iraqs are. I suppose it's the real Iraq versus the one portrayed by US military spokespersons.