La Resistance...Lives On

Joining the parade of evidence against George W. Bush's post-surge triumphalism are two more pieces today: a report from the Guardian on the regrouping resistance, and a report from Human Rights Watch about Iraqi refugees in Lebanon.

The Guardian report is the most exciting. In light of the vacillation of some of the most active elements of the resistance (Sadr, the Ba'athists), the revival of the 1920s Revolution Brigade is especially welcome. As the report indicates, the Brigade has also taken a quite principled stand against sectarian violence, refusing at this point to attack the al-Sahwa movement, even though they are clearly collaborators.

The HRW report, entitled “Rot Here or Die There: Bleak Choices for Iraqi Refugees in Lebanon,” paints a grim picture of situation of Iraqi refugees. It further makes a mockery of all the claims of "improvement" in Iraq. Though the latest NIE has diverted attention from Iraq and to Iran for the moment, you can be they are not going to be able to sit on this forever.