Written by Peter Hegseth on 8/7/08:
After posting my Samarra piece on NRO yesterday, I came across two interesting articles while waiting for transport out of Baghdad. Both address the current status of Samarra:
TIME: "Reconciliation at Iraq's Ground Zero"
AFP: "Hundreds of Shiite worshipers pack bombed Iraqi mosque"
If Samarra is coming around, anywhere in Iraq can come around. Still waiting to see first-hand, but these are good signs. Alas, judgment remains reserved.
Also: I'm leaving now to meet Asaad Ali Yasseen's son at the Al Rasheed hotel now in Baghdad. Should provide an update on the piece I wrote yesterday.