Shock Factor Zero

In a war that has lacked foresight, accountability and effective planning since invasion day, does is come as a surprise to anyone to read that Iraq lacks a plan to absorb returning refugees? Plan for returning refugees? I think there was never a plan for the outpouring of refugees in the first place, just as there was no plan for political asylum for those who actually worked with the US.

"I jeopardized my life every day to get low-fat yoghurt for Americans. And I was a target," said Ihab Rifaat, who was a supply manager for USAID in Baghdad — but had to flee the country after repeated death threats from militants.

I was thinking more of interpreters and the like, but that's okay, because low-fat yogurt is important too.

I guess the only thing I wonder is whether anybody in the US government actually believes that the Iraqi government operates at a level functional enough to think about tomorrow. I mean, the US government doesn't always even do that.

As Iraqi refugees begin to stream back to Baghdad, American military officials say the Iraqi government has yet to develop a plan to absorb the influx and prevent it from setting off a new round of sectarian violence.

If I read the subtext of today's article correctly, does this actually say "Violence rises as US surge draws down"? Stay tuned.