More on the lost war

This is from Juan Cole:

The Washington Post confirms the report given by al-Zaman yesterday that the Monotheism and Holy War group (what they are called locally) has taken over the city of Qaim. They appear to have taken advantage of the US military's assault on Tal Afar to the north, which has drawn away US troops. (There are only about 10,000 US troops for all of Anbar Province, a huge area with a population of some 800,000.) Monotheism and Holy War also appears to have inflicted a defeat on the Albu Mahal clan that had been supporting the US.