Iraqis Draw Closer to Self-Sufficiency(More Good News)

Let's put the bad news up front: Extremist elements in Iraq are vying for political and economic power and are seeking to take advantage of this delicate stage of transition in Iraq's history.

Sunni and Shia extremists are using brutal and provocative tactics against one another. Baghdad is the center of gravity for this increasingly sectarian conflict. There are also foreign terrorists infiltrating the borders, renegade death squads, an insurgency and foreign governments who seek to exert influence on Iraqi politics.

This, however, is only part of Iraq's present story. The violence belies the gradual but remarkable transformation this nation is experiencing.

Three years ago, there were virtually no security forces in Iraq. Today, Iraqis are standing up in military and police forces that number more than 300,000. In coming months, the coalition and the Iraqi government will reach the goal of 325,000 trained and equipped force members.

Quality is improving with quantity. In April 2004, almost all Iraqi forces fled in the face of a militia uprising in Najaf. This August, when militia attacked an Iraqi army outpost in Diwaniyah, the Iraqi army counterattacked and killed 50 militiamen.

By the end of August, Iraq's special-ops brigade, with U.S. combat advisers, had netted 1,320 detainees in 445 operations all over the country this year, including three senior militia leaders and 20 most-wanted individuals. This month, Iraqi forces provided a safe environment for more than 4 million Shiite pilgrims celebrating the birth of the 12th Imam. And it was Iraqi forces operating independently who recently captured a major al-Qaida in Iraq leader, Abu Hammam.

A functioning command structure is in place. This month, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki became commander in chief of Iraq's military in more than name only.

Well I'll be! I could of sworn just the other day, Bob Woodward, who is here in the good ole US of A said that President Bush was covering up the fact that Iraq was one big violent mess. I am so sick of these know it alls that drone on and on while in the comfort of their offices stateside. I really wish the people who are actually there doing something had their views stated more often instead of the reports with their own agenda. I am also glad to see this reported in the AJC. The only people I know who actually read it are the people who live inside Atlanta. It's amazing that once you cross inside the perimeter the signs change from We Support Our Troops and President to Say No To War.

Things shall continue to improve in Iraq. The combined elements of the insurgency in all it's various forms had not been able to prevent major elections twice from happening, nor the drafting and signing into law of their new constitution nor the elective process to allow their elected political parties to bring into office a fully bonified unity government.
So many people in various arenas continue to ignored the significance of these major achieved objectives.
We see very little decent between the majority of political parties and the government when all is taken into account.
Maliki purged some baddies and apparently is keeping on the toes of all to force a degree of accountability. Their military and interior ministries apparently are working together to put a stop to the insurgency.
Once Baghdad is basically rid of the majority of baddies in their various forms, and all the provinces are stabilized to a given level, the US and coalition troops will start to withdraw as promised. And this just could happen big time during the mid to later part of 2007.
One thing I think some of us tend to overlook is the fact that if the insurgency was really that strong, one would have expected them to form some form of joint agreement to lay low and make it look like it was time for the US to withdraw the majority of its troops. Then form some form of concerted attack on the new government and military.
This is not the case. It is indicative of a continued failing insurgency just able to in the form of little groups on occasions to make an sensational attack on usually innocent people at markets and other gathering areas.
As the Iraqi forces both military and police wise continue to grow in strength and effectiveness we continue to see them take the lead.
It is only a matter of time for this insurgency to simply lose all it's momentum IMHO.
The IG will survive it's four year tenor and pave the way for a future democratically elected government in due time.

You got that right mom. Tis a matter of time when the point is reached where the L/MSM simply will have no bad news to report, then we shall enter the vacume mode in regards to Iraq. It will be a no issue just like for over a year in Afghanistan after we basically silenced the Taliban. No one wrote anything on Afghanistan, because things such as the free elections they told the stuck on stupid would never come to past came to past, and things settled down considerably.

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