Iraq's Security Chief Calls for an End to Major Combat Operations

Essentially it means major combat operations as in swweping whole tows or cities is no longer needed against small cells. This is a good sign and we can only hope it succeeds in finnaly scouring the nation of Iraq of Al Qaeda.

AP-- Iraq's top security official called Saturday for a shift from major military operations to a ''war of intelligence'' to track down remaining extremist cells responsible for attacks such as those that killed 60 people in the past week in the Baghdad area.

Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani also warned that his ministry has been forced to put on hold some of its plans to recruit more police due to cuts in the government's 2009 budget prompted by plummeting oil prices.

Al-Bolani's call came after suicide bombers struck twice -- once last Sunday near the Baghdad police academy and again on Tuesday in an attack targeting Sunni and Shiite sheiks touring an outdoor market after a reconciliation meeting.

In addition it appears Shiite radical groups are attempting to reform:

Iraqi forces also have evidence that hard-line Shiite militants are regrouping in Baghdad and some southern provinces like Maysan and Basra, he said.He was referring to small but well-organized groups that split off from the movement led by Shiite firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. U.S. officials believe those groups are funded and trained by Iran. The Iranians have denied any links to Shiite extremists in Iraq.

The splinter ''special groups'' continued attacks against U.S.-led forces even after the anti-U.S. cleric declared a unilateral cease-fire in 2007 and then disbanded his Mahdi Army last year.