The US is playing with fire as it moves into Najaf. There is an assumption among many in the conservative ranks that any respect for Islamic holy sites is a sign of weakness, given that guerrillas are basing their operations out of those sites. This is not only wrong, it is dangerous. The British were smart enough (based on hard won experience) to send only Egyptian troops to support the Arab revolt in the Hejaz (during WW1). Anything else would have turned the entire Islamic world against them. We should be smart enough to develop an innovative solution to the problem too. Are we following a “one step forward – ten steps back” policy? [John Robb's Weblog]