The LA Times is reporting good news in Iraq.

his month, Fatikhan was host of the first Ramadi reconstruction conference, held behind the high walls of his family compound. Contractors, sheiks and others met with U.S. officials to discuss projects to pave roads, rebuild schools and improve electrical, sewer, phone and water systems.

Fatikhan, who wears tailored suits when not in traditional clothing, understands U.S. politics. He told a visiting journalist, “Please take a message to the Democrats: Let the American forces stay until we can hold Iraq together. Then we will have a party when American forces go.”

Outside Fatikhan’s meeting room, other sheiks, some much older, waited to talk to him. So did Iraqi police officials. The sheik’s bodyguards were nearby.

He offered his American and British visitors sweet tea and insisted that they stay for a lunch of goat, rice and sauces.

“The terrorists are not here for the interests of Iraq,” Fatikhan said. “We don’t need them here to say they’re here to defend us. If Iraq was in danger, the real people of Iraq would stand up and defend Iraq.”

He referred to the U.S. and Britain as “the two great nations.”

What’s wrong with them? Don’t they know it’s a hopeless quagmire? And on the day of the State of the Union speech, too.

Between the Arabs and the Persians.

I do think that the current oil prices reflect the use of Saudi Arabia’s “oil weapon,” except instead of wielding it by forcing prices up (OPEC no longer has the clout to do that unilaterally) they’re forcing them down and starving Iran (not to mention Venezuela) of oil revenues. In fact, I’d be surprised if this wasn’t one of the things that Secretary Rice discussed with them a few weeks ago.