AND NOW FOR THE REAL WORLD – AT 10:48 A.M. ET:  We are starkly reminded that the fight against terrorism goes on, and that our work in Iraq, though remarkably successful, goes on:

BAGHDAD (AP) -- Twin suicide bombings killed 48 people on Sunday, including dozens from a government-backed, anti-al-Qaeda militia lining up to collect their paychecks near a military base southwest of Baghdad, Iraqi officials said.

The bombings were the deadliest in a series of attacks across Iraq on Sunday that were aimed at the Sons of Iraq, Sunni groups also known as Awakening Councils that work with government forces to fight al Qaeda in Iraq.

The attacks highlighted the stiff challenges the country faces as the United States scales back its forces in Iraq, leaving their Iraqi counterparts in charge of security.

The first attack Sunday morning -- the worst against Iraq's security forces in months -- killed at least 45 people and wounded more than 40. It occurred at a checkpoint near a military base where the Awakening Council members had lined up to collect their paychecks in the mostly Sunni district of Radwaniya, southwest of the capital.

COMMENT:  It's noteworthy that those killed included fighters who were battling al Qaeda.  Gee, I thought al Qaeda was finished, or minimized, or just a few guys in a cave. 

We are in the process of leaving Iraq.  The key will be whether the democratically elected government there will survive, or whether the country will give in to the rise of another dictator. 

As we ramp up our military efforts in Afghanistan, it's entirely logical for al Qaeda and its franchises to step up attacks in Iraq, believing there may be a military vacuum there.  One of Obama's blunders is to give these timelines about when we're leaving places, providing the enemy with a road map of our intentions.  In fairness, the Bush administration initiated the timeline in Iraq.   Publicly declared timelines are always bad, and provide information to adversaries that we should never be furnishing.

July 18, 2010