Monday is 4th anniversary of the fall of Baghdad

So, big celebrations are slated, right?

Uh, no. There will be a ban on all vehicles until Tuesday to deter would-be suicide bombers.

I am not otherwise criticizing or commenting on the car ban, per se. If it saves lives, the plan is a good idea. Unfortunately, car bans do not help commerce or the economy.

I would have been heartened if some important political advance had also been noted. Former PM Ayed Allawi is trying to form a new government to replace the ineffectual Maliki, However, I can't see how a banding of Shiite secularists, Sunnis and Kurds can garner enough support to win a no-confidence vote over al-Maliki.

Similarly, Maliki's effrots to oust Sadr from the ruling coalition also appear doomed. A new round of elections might re-jigger the political chemistry. However, there would certainly appear to be a round of political chaos. Iraq simply can't afford that right now.

Think of a three-legged stool. For Iraq to get on track, all legs must be strong. The legs are political stability, economic stability, and national/personal security. I can understand that each leg must each be built, but there will be no sitting on the stool until all three legs are built.