Diyala Update

Hmm. Think these two developments about the ongoing combat operation in Diyala — actually dubbed Omens of Prosperity by Nouri al-Maliki — are related? Item one, courtesy of McClatchy:

The Iraqi government on Monday suspended a massive military operation in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, offering a limited amnesty to insurgents who surrender by the end of the week.

“It’s a very clear message to the insurgents that there will be no other chance,” Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Kareem Khalaf said.

And item two, courtesy of subscription-only IraqSlogger:

The top security official in the notoriously restive Diyala Province, site of a recent security crackdown, has been sacked by the governorate