I would be willing to concede that much and you make a good point. Still, I think Brown just jumped on the first statistic that looked good, called it a victory and left it at that. This will be very pleasing to the EU, whom he seems to admire greatly.
I thought Al Sadr should have been taken out at the start and the Mahdi Army disarmed and dissolved. There can be no cohesion, no national unity in Iraq as long as these fringe groups are allowed to terrorize and impose their wills on Iraqi citizens. The current Iraqi leadership is abysmal and lacks the courage and the will to utilize the Iraqi troops to bring these militants into compliance. I think Iraqi citizens are standing up in some places because they see an ally in Petraeus and someone who will root out the evil entities so they can live their lives in peace. This is what they want from their own leadership but are being short-changed. American taxpayers are footing the bill and the American leadership needs to turn the heat up to "scorching" on the Iraqi leadership. They have diddled and fiddled in their pusillanimous cocoons of comfort long enough. It is time for them to step up and exhibit some courage and leadership.
Brown hails Bush's war (Great Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer delivers glowing endorsement)
PM hails Bush's leadership (Mr Brown stunned critics by THANKING President Bush)
Great Britain Brown seeks to mend damage done by minister's 'anti-US speech'
Great Britain Brown £20bn nuke pledge (Promises massive new nuke arsenal, upgrade)
Gordon Brown's Tory appeal ignites poll fever (incl.direct pledge to Conservatives)
Gordon Brown I love the USA (wants to make ties even stronger)
Hopefully the law-abiding Iraqi people will also put pressure on their new Government, but they have been beaten into the ground for decades by the previous regime and so I wonder if they know how to do so anymore. Living year after year in a terrified fear for your and your family's lives is no good for a person's mental health.