I just do not believe that other enemy factions such as the ones who want to restore Saddam or Baath party rule of some Sunni theocracy have legitimacy with most Sunnis much less most Iraqis. They are a minority of a minority. The elections have pretty well demonstrated that they have been rejected by most Iraqis. If they had legitimacy they would have been more successful in the election. The non al Qaeda groups are made up of the former regime elements and some Sunni supremicist religious bigots who fear rule by the Shia and Kurds. They have all the legitimacy of the Klu Klux Klan. I just do not see the need to elevate them to "legitimacy." Just what is the legitimate greviance of any of these groups?

Any close reading of operations in Iraq over the last year such as Michael Yon's and Bill Roggio would show that US troops are sensitive to the local community and are working with them. I just do not have a lot of patience for reports suggesting that US troops and their leaders are a bunch of dummies or that their strategy is not working when it clearly is.