Did anyone else see the live press conference from Iraq today that the US lead coalition hosted. The questions asked by the press were hostile at best. They were very biased questions and insinuated failure or cover ups, with this type of "investigative" tactics by the world wide media, I question any papeer I read. Apparently the AP and NPR exaggerated and gave out false reports, the US people leading the conference said as much.

Of course the media will be playing up the resistence. Blood sells! They will also be playing up the action in the Sunni Triangle when the Marines on the offensive sweep. Matt, I agree with you about the deadline, June 30 is to soon.

The June 30 deadline only applies to Iraqi sovereignty. The troops on the ground will be staying. They will be staying for many years. I'll also bet we will still be providing security for many more months if not years.

Building a democracy in the heart of the middle east is not an easy task and it will be messy. Pushing responsibility on the Iraqi's for their own security and determining their own political order is our objective.

Delaying the June 30 deadline (as long as we have a military) on the ground will only confirm fears that the US has conquered Iraq and we intend to hold this territory as a colony. We can't afford another hit to our credibility similar to our retreat under Bush senior after the first Gulf War when we encouraged rebellion and didn't support the effort.

Lets not go wobbly. We are not leaving. We have the support of the majority of ordinary Iraqis'.

These elements have played into our hands. We still control the country and are now defining the tactics of combat with our superior forces. They should have waited until after June 30 when we might have relaxed with a false calm on the ground.