-Scott Miller
This would be victory number two, by the way. For the record, victory number one came about three weeks after the invasion of Iraq when our brave troops toppled the Iraqi regime in record speed.
Now, all signs are pointing to an amazing turn around in Iraq since General Patraeus’ anti-insurgency plan was put into effect. This from the AP:
General: Iraq at its quietest since ’04
BAGHDAD – Violence in Iraq is at its lowest levels since the first year of the American invasion, finally opening a window for reconciliation among rival sects, the second-ranking U.S. general said Sunday as Iraqi forces formally took control of security across half the country.
Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, the man responsible for the ground campaign in Iraq, said that the first six months of 2007 were probably the most violent period since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. The past six months, however, had seen some of the lowest levels of violence since the conflict began, Odierno said, attributing the change to an increase in both American troops and better-trained Iraqi forces.
“I feel we are back in ’03 and early ’04. Frankly I was here then, and the environment is about the same in terms of security in my opinion,” he said. “What is different from then is that the Iraqi security forces are significantly more mature.”
The “surge” has worked. The British troops just turned over control of Basrah today to the Iraqi army. Al Qaida is near complete defeat, and things are getting desperate for UBL’s army of terrorists. This from the AP:
Al-Zawahri warns of traitors in Iraq
In the 90-minute video, al-Zawahri warned of the “presence of hypocrites and traitors among the ranks of the mujahedeen working and fighting for the Americans.”
The mujahedeen “must throw out the bribe-taking collaborators from among their ranks, those who sold out their faith and fight under the banner of the cross. They must expose them to the Muslim world,” al-Zawahri said. “Those who support the Americans are despicable scum,” he said, calling on the “noble tribes of Iraq, those that defend Islam, to stand up to this scum.”
“The tribe or clan that does not cleanse itself of traitors and apostates will be remembered in history for generations as one of the collaborators and traitors,” he warned. “But any clan or tribe that defends Islam and crushes traitors … will be remembered in Arab history with pride and glory.”
So there you have it. Iraqis have turned against al Qaida seemingly for good. Al Qaida’s on the ropes. Our troops are kickin’ ass over there, and yet the Surrendercrats are still trying to find a way to lose… they have to save face somehow, right?
