Reading Between Zalmay's Lines

Zalmay Khalilzad, who is stepping down as US ambassador to Iraq and then stepping up as ambassador to the UN, has made his farewell news conference in Iraq. It's interesting for what he didn't say as much as what he did.

U.S. officials have been working for years to encourage dialogue with Iraqi groups - including major Sunni insurgent groups, except al-Qaida. Khalilzad has said previously that U.S. officials have met with people linked to the Sunni insurgency, and the new top U.S. general in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, said this month that dialogue was necessary because force alone cannot halt the violence.

But Khalilzad said Monday that the talks have shifted from ``unreasonable demands'' by the groups for a U.S. withdrawal to forming an alliance against al-Qaida. He said the effort has gained support among tribal leaders and even some insurgents.

``Iraqis are uniting against al-Qaida,'' he said. ``Coalition commanders have been able to engage some insurgents to explore ways to collaborate in fighting the terrorists. These insurgents are also in touch with the government seeking reconciliation and cooperation in the fight against the al-Qaida terrorists and joining the government in a reconciliation program.''

...``We have talked to groups who have not participated in the political process, who have ties with some of the insurgent groups who are reconcilable insurgents,'' he said. ``The terrorists are irreconcilable. There cannot be reconciliation with al-Qaida. They have to be brought to justice, but there are groups that resisted the democratic change, the change in Iraq.''

Even two years ago, the Bush administration were adamant that they would never talk to groups who had targeted US troops. At the time, I said they should look to the Northern Ireland peace process as an example of why, eventually, you have to talk to the more amenable terrorists if you want peace. Eventually, the Bush administration came to the same realization.

However, Khalilzad went on to add:

``In my view, though difficult challenges lie ahead and there is a long way to go, Iraq is fundamentally headed in the right direction and success is possible,'' he said, pointing to a nearly 25 percent reduction in violence during a six-week-old security crackdown in Baghdad as well as economic progress.

He acknowledged, however, that he was leaving his post with a litany of unfinished business, including an oil law that is waiting for parliamentary approval, and he called on Iraqi leaders to make progress on legislative and political measures to bring disaffected Sunnis into the political fold.

``Iraqis must not lose this opportunity, and they must step up and take the tough decisions necessary for success,'' Khalilzad said.

Here's what seems to me to be "between the lines" but not said out loud here - even if/when Al Qaeda are defeated in Iraq, that won't guarantee peace for that troubled nation, nor will it guarantee a "victory" that will allow the troops to come home. The civil war will still be strong, the country's infrastructure will still be ruined, American companies will still want any investment in Iraq's oil protected, corruption will still be rife. Two years ago, Iraqi citizens identified their most important concerns as security, reconstruction, employment and good governance free from corruption. None have been delivered as yet, and it doesn't look like they will be forthcoming in the near future.