...whats actually happend is that the Americans have discovered a new tactic - bribery. Thats whats bringing some militias/areas in line, but the reduction in attacks is being atributed to the 'surge' in the usual dodgy polictrics type way. It amazes me that they took so long to suss out this technique - considering the amount of money thats been wasted so far on this military exercise. Will the relative peace sustain? Lets hope so. If Al Qa'ida get squeezed out then so much the better. The overall outlook is relativly nightmarish as usual, world chaos rising...