Bremer departed after turning over control to Iraqi officials. He wrote to President Bush, “As a result of the President’s courage and the Coalition’s efforts, Iraq has before it a path to a better future.” In reality, nascent Iraqi leaders jockeyed for power amid ever-shifting alliances, with the Shiite factions maneuvering to consolidate power, some with Iranian financial and weaponry support. Anbar received no help from the Shiite-controlled government in Baghdad. The province was remote, restive, and impoverished—and all hell was breaking loose.
