Fighting in Iraq

Serious fighting between insurgent and Iraqi police took place in the city of Mosul today, 250 miles north of Baghdad. One part of the story which I found interesting:

"The governor of Mosul, Dored Mohammed Kashmola, said in an interview on Al Jazeera television that eight civilians and four policemen had been were killed. He said Iraqi policemen were patrolling the roads Tuesday night without American troops, who, he said, had withdrawn to their bases."

I think it's become clear that, in large part, American forces are trying to turn over the brunt of the fighting to the Iraqi police and National Guard units. Of course this is good for our soldiers, who are getting killed at a lower rate(although they are still dying in roadside bombings and on patrols.) And it's good politically for the Bush administration, as the American people have more tolerance for the campaign in Iraq when fewer American soldiers are dying. This leaves the question however of whether or not the Iraqi police and military units are up to the task of defending themselves and the Iraqi citizenry. It appears they've vastly approved since Fallujah and Najaf, when many Iraqi units flat-out refused to deploy against the insurgents. But so far the insurgency rages just as hot as it has at anytime in the past year, with the exception of the siege of Fallujah by US Marines. Will the insurgency enjoy greater success in battling home-grown Iraqi units, as opposed to American soldiers? I think this is an open question that's due to be answered in the next few months.