Juan Cole presents his top ten myths about Iraq. Aside from debunking common misconceptions about the health and wealth of Iraqi minorities and refugees, Cole also addresses the supposed success of the troop surge. In what he numbers myth #6, Cole writes, “In fact, troop levels had been that high (30,000 extra troops in 2007) before without major effect…The major reason for the fall in the death toll, however, was that the Shiites won the war for Baghdad, ethnically cleansing hundreds of thousands of Sunnis, from the capital, turning it into a city with a Shiite majority of 75 to 80 percent. (When Bush invaded, Baghdad was about 50/50 Sunni and Shiite).”

 

Top Ten Myths about Iraq (by Juan Cole, Informed Comment)