The final stages of transitioning soveriegnty to the new democratic government of Iraq will begin soon, too soon for Mad Murtha, Dean and other liberals to surrender Iraq to Bin Laden and Zarqawi:

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has said that Iraqi security forces will start assuming full responsibility for some provinces and cities next month, beginning a process leading to the eventual withdrawal of all coalition forces.

The U.S. military official estimated that provisional control could be handed over to local governors in the relatively peaceful provinces of Najaf, Karbala and Babil by the fall. But he said Baghdad would probably be transferred by the end of the year.

That is a lot faster than some earlier estimates.  But it makes sense.  Right now Al Qaeda is waging a disasterous PR campaign by savagingly killing only innocent Muslims.  Muslims across the region and the world are taking notice.  Al Qaeda dare not continue this tactic as Iraqi forces take control.  I seriously doubt Iraqi’s will be as respectful of criminal rights as the US and Western forces are.

And for liberals and the media, it is going to be increasingly hard to call our efforts in Iraq ‘a war’.  When was the last time a war was fought by an enemy calling for assistance?

Instead, the U.S. official said it means the provincial governor would have control, and Iraqi civilian police would be the first to respond. U.S.-led coalition forces would only nominally intervene following a request from Iraqi officials.

How this differs from any ally asking for assistance with brutal foreign thugs escapes me.  But then again, I don’t suffer from BDS.