and get into the next civil war (the last one was 2004-7, the next one would be 2010-?). Maybe the slogan for 2010 should be "If I-raq is rocking... don't come a-knocking" Al-Qaida in Mesopotamia have shown that they have the continuing ability to send car and suicide bombers into Baghdad. Across Iraq as a whole, there were 24 such attacks in November alone. Oh yeah? I've never heard of any proof that it is al-Qa'ida in Mesopotamia who are carrying out these attacks. Allegations from US spokesmen, yes; any evidence; no. Toby Dodge is a reputed specialist in ME politics, and commonly his analyses are good. But here the heart of the problem he is discussing, is simply dismissed as proven. Just in order to invoke his fears of the dangers of the facile optimism of Bush and Brown. Personally, I doubt there'll be a civil war when the US, and the Brits, finally leave Iraq. Iraqis will work out their own solutions, without the pressure of occupation. And Dodge should know it. The most obvious culprit for the recent bombing campaign in Baghdad is, indeed, the US itself, in order to frighten the parliament into signing the SOFA agreement. It is true that insurgent attacks are continuing but, given the continued efforts by both the US and the UK in training better Iraq's security services, the time announced in making combat withdrawal is a right one. Some 300 British soldiers will remain in the country once demobilisation starts