Iraq: What's Goin' On?

The White House has adamantly insisted that the situation on the ground in Iraq is better than the news media portrays it to be. What then are its own experts saying behind the scenes?

According to an internal staff report by the U.S. Embassy and military command in Baghdad, the situation is arguably worse than is even being portrayed in most of the media:

* The condition of Anbar, one Iraq's 18 provinces, is rated "critical" regarding security and the economy, while its government is functioning.

* The condition of 7 provinces is rated "serious" for one or more of the three catagories -- security, economy and govenment.

* The condition of 8 provinces is rated "moderate" for one or more of the three catagories.

* The condition of 6 provinces is rated "stable" for one or more of the three catagories.

The report says that sectarian and ethnic frictions have become entrenced in many regions, even those described as nonviolent and a de facto partitioning along sectarian and ethnic lines is underway. And religious Shiite political parties, several of which the U.S. got on their feet after the invasion, are growing in power because of the backing of Iraq.

The New York Times has more here.