What's the opposite of progress? On Friday, al Qaeda forces took the western Iraqi city of Fallujah and declared it an Islamic state as violence and confusion has reigned in the area over the past few days. The United States viewed Fallujah as one of the most crucial areas during the Iraq War and since the withdrawal two years ago, government forces have struggled to maintain calm. “We don’t want to hurt you. We don’t want to take any of your possessions,” a masked militant told a crowd at Friday prayers. “We want you to reopen the schools and institutions and return to your normal lives.”
