The nature of the enemy

Time for another sobering reminder of why it would be a mistake to cut and run in Iraq.

The Iraqi army said it had seized a number of booby-trapped children's dolls, accusing insurgents of using the explosive-filled toys to target children.

The dolls were found in a car, each one containing a grenade or other explosive, said an army statement. The government said that two men driving the car had been arrested in the western Baghdad district of Abu Ghraib.

"This is the same type of doll as that handed out on several occasions by US soldiers to children," said government spokesman Leith Kubba.

If filling children's toys with deadly weapons isn't bad enough, another horrific event occurred in Baghdad on Thursday.

On Thursday, a suicide bomber blew up a car full of explosives in Mahmoudiya, apparently targeting U.S. forces who were handing out toys to Iraqi children at the local hospital, killing at least 30, including several children.

This is hardly the first time these murderers have targeted children.

You may recall my correspondent's thoughts on the nature of the enemy.

Would the Left care to take another crack at explaining why leaving Iraq before this ideology is ruthlessly stamped out is a good idea?

A report in the last day or two had an encouraging sign. Some terrorist groups may be ready to join in talks with the Iraqi government, in preparation to join the political process.

Several insurgents groups have contacted President Jalal Talabani's office in the past few days, with some saying they are ready to lay down their arms and join the political process, the presidential security adviser said Thursday.
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In the western province of Anbar, members of some militant groups told the AP that they had been in talks with Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi for about two weeks but would not say how they were going.

We'll see what comes of this, but believe this, the only reason any terrorist group would be seeking a way out of the current fighting is that the US military is kicking the living snot out of the terrorists. That is the only thing they understand. If the US was to leave Iraq today, do you think the terrorists would have the same willingness to talk? Not a chance.

Any change in a terrorist's heart is effected by a violent kick in the head from a GI-issue boot. You want a sign that things are going well in Iraq? This is it.