More propaganda from Iraq

What are the odds that the AP article about the shopkeepers and residents in Baghdad fighting off insurgents is solidly making the rounds in the press. With this administration and their love of propaganda to cover up ugly realities, it's hard to say if this is fact or fiction. It's a bit funny that this is obviously being pushed hard just after a Congressional delegation visited Baghdad (obviously, no field visits) where Senator Barbara Boxer commented that soon-to-be Iraqi PM Ibrahim al-Jaafari was not very enthusiastic or positive about the Iraqi defense forces.

Now thinking back to those crazy election days, I am pretty sure I remember hearing about how well that process was going and the tens of thousands of forces who had been trained. Surely after all of this time and money we should be expecting some local results. Please don't tell me we were lied yet again.