But, it seems, we have to wait even longer because far from peace finding hold in Iraq, common people including children continue to die everyday in large numbers in the country. Body count has become an impossible task by now, and to some extent it has been rendered insignificant in Iraq. Since the beginning of the war countless numbers of Iraqis have died, some of them in most ignoble ways. The 'collateral damage' on the part of the allied troops has also been beyond their expectation.

We have observed with much concern that various strategies have been tried by the US, UK and the Iraqi government in the last two years to end the strife between the Shia and Sunni communities and implement a roadmap of peace and progress. But nothing seems to have succeeded so far. All the factions are not ready yet to see eye to eye on the question of their sectarian interests. The withdrawal of all foreign troops is one major issue that needs to be resolved before many factions would even agree to join the government for talks. But the Bush administration remains steadfast on the question of remaining in Iraq until peace finds root there. This it does despite mounting criticism in the USA itself against the unjust war. To his opponents he said recently that 'leaving Iraq at this stage would damage the credibility of his country.' He further stressed at a political fundraising meeting at Nashville, " If we leave Iraq before the job is done this will be a major defeat for the United States of America in the global war on terror."

The war on terror is an issue that is well understood in Bangladesh. But, whether the prolonged engagement in Iraq has contributed to the annihilation of the major players, or whether it has been successful in plugging all the holes, remains an unanswered question.