Michael Yon on Iraq: “The progress is unbelievable”

Hot Air ^ | 5/22/08 | Allahpundit

[meatloaf]

Relax! There’s still enough time to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. /sarc off

[Rammer]

ping

[Marine_Uncle]

Mike and Bill and their support staffs continue to bring out what some Americans eventually will read in books in later years. GWB shall be vindicated by future historians. GWB knows full well what he was getting into from day one. And he also knew public opinion would be turned against him no matter how well things went earlier on, or at a later date.
He had the courage and conviction along with many of those so called neo-cons, the VP, some in the Senate and House, and some in the military to see there was no option but to do what we did. The Iraqi Security and Stabilization Operations (SASO) is now a full success.
At least 90% of the SASO goals have been met. And obvious to those of us that have followed closely the details from the onset till recent understand, a major objective was to get a new Iraqi military established that then would take charge.
Iraq has moved closer to basic democratic rule then many would have expected. The proof in the pudding can be demonstrated in the ever increasing support from all Iraqi political factions in supporting the recent moves taken by the Maliki government in regards to putting down all armed criminal and seditious elements regardless of sectarian side.
The benchmarks are in place. Their economy is growing. They could be set for major improvements in oil/gas drilling, and surely we are seeing increased efforts by the government to help more Iraqi across the political/sectarian divide.
We hear nothing to indicate that continued business deals between Turkey and Iraq are not going to continue. I still think al Anbar is sitting on a huge oil deposit that will be eventually exposed and drilled. Iraq has nothing to lose at this point if the peoples continue to engage with the central and provincial governments, withdraw from mellinium old customs of tribal control verse living under the equal protection of the law for all.
All the doomsdayers and in some cases well meant critics have been silenced. Only the goon squads withing the L/MSM apparatus will continue to support the goons in the Rat party that call for any changes in the course planned in Iraq.
As far as I am concerned every Senator and Congress person should at this point, where they understand the success has been achieved, be required to start informing their constituents of the many success, and the scary prospect of simply abandoning the Iraqi at this point.
They are a bunch of shit heads. And are as responsible for lack of the general education for the masses as the L/MSM. regarding the success in Iraq.
Lastly. As many here would probably echo. I stand at attention and salute Mike for his years of sacrifice in bring this historical piece of history in perspective. Often in those early days up in Mosul, Tel Afar, he was in the line of fire.
I still remember that one early report where he was up that tight ally with two junior officers, the lt Col., and I believe a staff sarge when the bullets start flying around and the col was hit and he said he was so tempted to grab an M16 from one of the petrified junior officers and go in and take out the jihadist holed up in a building that was shooting at the col.. He has displayed uncommon valor in his reporting.