PROGRESS, FRED KAGAN STYLE

Back in March, the Christian Science Monitor wrote that 100 shops in the Dora Market had re-opened. Now, we learn from the WaPo that there are over 340 shops open. This sounds like great progress but lets look at the details the WaPo and other papers supply.

1) The distrust of the locals (Sunnis) of the police (mostly Shia) remains.
2) We paid many of the shop owners to re-open, even rebuilding for them.
3) Some of the shops sell either little or nothing, "dust" as one U.S. lieutenant said.
4) Without the presence of the U.S. troops, most of the shops would close because
of security reasons.
5) The Iraqi army STILL isn't ready to take over even this operation.
6) The head of the local chamber of commerce won't go to the market without an armed guard.
7) Before the war, the market had from 700 to 850 shops that were not only really selling goods, they were also open past midnight. Now, they are open for only a few hours and by noon the market is deserted.
8) In March, Dora was described as a volatile neighborhood. In September, the same adjective is used.