Superunknown

The post-Status of Forces Agreement world is a confusing one for American troops. They’ve got to be out of Iraqi towns and cities by the summer. Their operations have to be approved by a joint U.S.-Iraqi security committee. They have to respect Iraqi laws. None of this is totally clear. In the near future, Gen. Ray Odierno, their commanding general, will issue new rules of the road. Until then, it’s anyone’s guess.

McClatchy’s Adam Ashton rides along with U.S. and Iraqi troops in Baghdad and suggests that he may have glimpsed the future:

Iraqi police talked with property owners, broke locks and led the way through about 40 buildings at the compound. The Americans followed with tools the Iraqis lacked, such as bomb-sniffing dogs and an explosives team. A team of U.S. military police advisers was there, too, to look for things the Iraqis could do to improve their tactics.

Maybe. For my part, I’ll have a chance to ask Ali al-Dabbagh, spokesman for the Iraqi government, what the Iraqi take on all this is. I’ll report back later today with what he says.

Crossposted to The Streak.