found you on Juan Cole. keep it up!

Following up on User11's comment--and if violence is down in certain cities, how much of that is because there has been "ethnic cleansing" of those cities (either by murder or exodus)? In other words, fewer Shi'ites in a Sunni stronghold, fewer Shi'ites to kill.

I was very inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt, but found this report not so trustworthy. The essential conflict with the first talking head is that the bald guy is using numbers in Baghdad, and the other guy is talking about over the whole country.

The second guy is again talking about only one city. I understand that interviews are a one-take deal, but it's unfortunate that Wolf et al can't highlight the true source of disagreement here (which is not that between "commanders on the field" and a "media poll").

Then, we can move on to questions like: given that violence has gone down in the capital, is there an excuse for lack of political reconciliation? Can we reasonably accomplish anything, or will things happen only with a pull out phase-change? What are the long term costs in either scenario?

Go Wolf! I actually think he is improving as a broadcaster, and this is good interviewing- holding people to account.