Multinational Forces Iraq released statistics on the improving security situation and the current level of violence in Iraq, al Qaeda in Iraq’s area of operations, and the development of the Iraqi security forces. Violence in Iraq continues to drop as the Iraqi security forces begin to take over a great responsibility for security. Al Qaeda’s safe havens in Iraq continue to decrease as the terror groups is isolated to largely rural areas in the North. Mosul remains a major hub for al Qaeda activity.
Click the image to view the information presented in General David Petraeus’ and Ambassador Ryan Crocker’s testimonies to the US Congress on the security and political situation in Iraq. General Petraeus’ and Ambassador Crocker’s testimonies are also available below as PDF files.
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Surrendercrats’ Denial Of Progress In Iraq Is Truly Infantile
How can any serious adult look at the shrinking footprint of al-Qaeda in Iraq and claim there is no progress there since The Surge and The Awakening swept Iraq and turned al-Qaeda from being Islam’s future in Iraq to al-Qaeda being an enemy of Is…
I see victory in Iraq as the time when violence is at an acceptably low level across the nation, (such that the increasingly powerfull and capable ISF can deal with anything that might come their way) – I picture the stunning win in al-Anbar across the whole of Iraq. I am encouraged by the independent Iraqi operations in Basra and the increasing progress made on the diplomatic front i.e. the fact that most political benchmarks have been achieved combined with the grass roots, bottom up reconciliation that has happened over the last year.
The fact that most Iraqi political parties have recently felt safe enough to take on al-Sadr militarily and politically is also very encouraging.
Looks like when Mosul and the ratlines to Syria are taken care of and it is only a matter of time, with a little more clean-up along the Tigris and Diyala, AQI will seize to be a strategic threat.
Someone was asking about what success will look like in Iraq, but for some reason the message got dropped.
It’s a worthwhile question, as this war was sold as quick, easy, and simple and is anything but. Now it’s being sold as long and hard without much context or vision. Consequently people are confused and wondering whether this is all worth it. To answer the original poster’s questions, first of all, Petraeus never said it was a never ending war, he said it was going slow, in the right direction, but could go bad. I suspect most of the could go bad part is what happens if there’s a quick departure.
There are many more on this website that know more than I do but I suspect what success will look like is what boiling a frog in cold water will look like; very slow and we won’t know until it happens. I suppose that’s not a very satisfying answer.
I think a better question is why the big disconnect between those that want to win and those that want to leave? I don’t agree with the “defeatist” label, at least not for the majority of people.
Petraeus: Much Progress, Much Work Remaining
General David Petraeus delivered a cautious but positive report to Congress yesterday regarding the progress of the Multinational Forces in establishing the new republic of Iraq. According to Petraeus, violence is down and Iraqis are seeking peaceful a…
Iraq since the Sadrist uprising and the Sadrists’ attempts to abort same
The violence in Iraq is a lot better than 2005, or even 2006 thanks to the Surge (see also this movie), but worse than two months ago. This highly detailed map shows Al Qaeda’s Iraq branch’s declining fortunes, which go hand in hand with …