Why Iraq is Working

I purposefully did not use the media term "surge" to describe the new movement toward victory in Iraq. That is because this story is about the Iraqi's making a turn, not our soldiers. It's been said all along that until the Iraqi's can take care of themselves we can't leave. I want my friends who are serving there to come home soon, and I don't particularly want to go back...so my hope is this turn is infectious and will sweep the country. But winning is the key to our boys coming home. Some of it can't be sped up, it takes time but we are on the right track, moving at a good speed now.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2008 – Operation Phantom Phoenix is succeeding in cracking down on Iraq’s enemies, largely because of the Iraqi security forces’ professionalism and the cooperation of the Iraqi people, a senior U.S. military officer said in Baghdad today.

Army Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner, spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq, told reporters the joint offensive launched earlier this month continues to make headway in corralling remaining al-Qaeda-aligned terrorists and other insurgents in the country.

“One of the reasons progress has been made and continues to be made in Iraq is the increasing courage of the Iraqi people as they reject violence from their neighborhoods, work more closely with security forces and place themselves in harm’s way to help secure their communities,” Bergner said.

That’s led to big improvements, he said, with Iraqi security forces and coalition troops now clearing more than half of all improvised explosive devices across Iraq, and more than 60 percent in some areas. “This progress is due to improving technology, better training by Iraqi security forces and, most of all, because of the help of brave Iraqi citizens who are working with our forces and the Iraqi security forces,” he said. FULL STORY