Iraqi militias — some organized, some not; some with good intentions and others without — have stood as a silent obstacle to concentrating power in authorized federal and provincial entities. The more ominous squatters and schemers, like the "Mahdi" mob of phony cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's, enjoyed support from certain segments of Iraq's population; Allied military forces anticipated a greater threat to civil order if these groups were forcibly dispersed without sufficient, direct provocation. Al-Sadr tripped that wire when he attempted conventional warfare against American troops, bringing his own house down. The rest remain quiet or coy.

Today, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi presents his solution to this lingering postwar concern, rewarding militias as he extracts their oath of national loyalty, and punishing the destruction of al-Sadr:

Nine major political parties agreed today to disband their militias, the interim prime minister said today. The agreement does not include the militia of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said about 100,000 armed individuals will enter civilian life or take jobs in the state police or security services. The militias have been credited with helping bring about the downfall of Saddam Hussein.

"By doing this, we reward their heroism and sacrifices, while making Iraq stronger and eliminating armed forces outside of government control," Allawi said in a prepared statement. ...None of the nine militias has been fighting the government and most are controlled by mainstream political movements represented in the government.

This could be a major victory for order and stability if enforced. Today's Iraq, made difficult by those committed to thwarting its rebirth, shouldn't cause us to lose sight of our own rights preserved by limiting the power of government: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." Understanding the peaceful nature of men like Omar, Zeyad, Alaa, Ali and Mohammed makes clear why giving Iraqi citizens the means to defend themselves — and treating well those who have done so — would help combat terrorism now and crime in the next few years to come.