Thomas Friedman asked "Are there any Iraqis in Iraq"


This is the answer

"What is striking is how much has changed in a week -- a week," said Wamid Nadhmi, a political science professor at Baghdad University. "No one can talk about the Sunni Triangle anymore. No one can seriously talk about Sunni-Shiite fragmentation or civil war. The occupation cannot talk about small bands of resistance. Now it is a popular rebellion and it has spread.""

Well good news as far as it goes. We professors usually don't know what we are talking about, but Prof. Nadhmi's claim is strongly supported by the rest of the article.
Sunni-shi'ite unity and an outpouring of national pride and public spirit mean that there is some hope for Iraq.

I don't think this new unity is totally ruined by the fact that Iraqi Sunnis and Shi'ites are united against us. They don't have to live with us, they have to live with each other.

The problem is that Iraqis, or at least Iraqi Arabs, are rushing to the aid of anyone who fights the US. The first to fight gains popular support. This is terrible because it strengthens violent extremists. I think it is necessary to end the occupation quickly to stop this process. Iraq is not ready for independence, but I fear that, as time passes it will get less not more ready.

I still think that the thing to do is to call an election for a very powerful temporary transition president. Just calling an election will undermine the argument that there is an occupation, which will last forever, if it is not fought.