National Edition 
NYC Edition
I was surprised they even put the story below the fold, as opposed to burying it.
Posted on 09/02/2008 8:03:12 PM PDT by neverdem
RAMADI, Iraq — Two years ago, Anbar Province was the most lethal place for the Americans in Iraq, with a marine or a soldier dying here nearly every day. The provincial capital, Ramadi, was a moonscape of rubble and ruins. Islamic extremists controlled large pieces of territory, with some so ferocious in their personal views that they did not even allow the sale of bread.
On Monday, following a parade on a freshly paved street, American commanders formally returned responsibility for keeping order in Anbar Province, once the heartland of the Sunni insurgency, to the Iraqi Army and police force. The ceremony capped one of the starkest turnabouts in the country since the war began five and a half years ago.
In the past two years, the number of insurgent attacks against Iraqis and Americans in Anbar Province has dropped by more than 90 percent. Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, a homegrown Sunni Arab extremist group that American intelligence agencies have concluded is led by foreigners, has been severely degraded, if not crushed altogether. Since February, as the situation improved, American commanders have cut the number of marines and soldiers here by more than a third, they said.
The transfer of authority codified a transformation that Iraqi and American officers say has been in effect since April: the Iraqi Army and the police operate independently and retain primary responsibility for battling the insurgency and crime in Anbar. The Americans, who had long done the bulk of the fighting, have stepped into a backup role. With the transfer on Monday, Iraq now bears the primary responsibility for maintaining security in 11 of its 18 provinces.
Even so, the dynamic that has brought such calm to Anbar, welcome as it is, appears fragile in some respects. Former insurgents who spent years ambushing...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
The greatest success in the history of the armed forces of The United States of America.
Well, it's a great success. But I just talked today with an old man who once spent two years of his life piloting hundred yard long double decked LST's onto beaches across the Pacific Ocean starting with Guadalcanal. That campaign was a pretty big success too.
Lest we forget.
God bless our brave troops, President Bush, and John McCain.
was this on Page One in between one of the three stories about Gov Palins 17 year old daughter??
Never forget.
My uncle Bill (RIP one year ago) was on an LST at Normandy. Mom's 4 other brothers served, 3 in WWII, 1 in Korea. Dad's brother in WWII. All survived.
Never forget.
National Edition
NYC Edition
I was surprised they even put the story below the fold, as opposed to burying it.
Troop ‘Surge’ Took Place Amid Doubt and Debate (before and after the Nov 2006 'thumpin')
The General’s Dilemma - David Petraeus, the pressures of politics, and the road out of Iraq. link only source
"I'd rather lose an election than lose a war."
McCain Adviser: Obama Would Rather Lose War Than Election
The last link is from the Huffington Post. I just wanted McCain's quote and the variation for Obama.
Bump. This is getting lost in all the election news.
Thank you soldiers. Thank you America.
Well now, that is a shocker. I did not hear anything on local radio.
It’s about as significant as you can get as far as progress in Iraq. Our troops are simply the most amazing men and women on the face of the planet.
Thanks for the ping!
thanks neverdem.
Troop ‘Surge’ Took Place Amid Doubt and Debate
(before and after the Nov 2006 ‘thumpin’)
NY Times | August 31, 2008 | Michael R. Gordon
Posted on 08/30/2008 11:11:40 PM PDT by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2071664/posts
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