dailyKOS has some good analysis on our new quagmire.

McKiernan's dilemma

Lt. Gen David McKiernan faces a problem as old as Iraq: how to keep the tribes and various factions under control.

His methods have involved sweeps and nightly patrols in a war which may go on as long as Americans are in Iraq.

The White House and Defense Department are using loaded words like terrorists and Baathists, which may sound nice on Fox News, but does little to explain how complex the politics of Iraq are.

One must keep in mind Saddam used a complex series of bribes and a secret police establishment to work his magic. He rarely acted overtly, except when needed. But even he couldn't prevent a full-scale Shia uprising and many of the secret dead come from that period.

The US faces a grim series of realities and some military choices .
[more]

Joe Galloway: Iraq Slipping Into Chaos While Combat Troops Stand By

  thanks to Eschaton

William S. Lind: Lies, Damned Lies And Military Intelligence

  thanks to Eschaton

As U.S. Fans Out in Iraq, Violence and Death on Rise

US and British Troops are Being Sucked Into an Iraqi Quagmire

Sabotage Hits Iraq Pipeline as US Prepares to Resume Exports
"It's to stop the Americans taking the oil out to Turkey"