Contrary to the hysterics coming from the SurrenderMedia, the Surge is achieving its initial goals by greatly reducing the carnage in Iraq in only the first few weeks of its actual implementation (up through May was the positioning of forces, before the activities began in earnest in June):

The number of civilians killed in Iraq fell sharply in June to the lowest monthly total since a U.S.-backed security clampdown was launched in February, Iraqi government figures showed on Sunday.

The data, obtained from the ministries of interior, defence and health, showed 1,227 civilians died violently in June, a 36-percent drop from May and the lowest level in five months.

U.S. military officials said it was premature to draw conclusions about the effects of the crackdown, which is seen as a last ditch effort to avert full-scale sectarian civil war between majority Shi’ites and minority Sunni Arabs.

“We continue to be cautiously optimistic, (but) we are still very early in this process,” said U.S. military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Garver.

The primary focus of the Surge were the regions where 80% of the violence was occurring or be launched from. With an almost 40% cut in the violence in just the first month we can see a trend that should prove undeniable. al-Qaeda doesn’t seem to be willing or able to waste more fighters in Iraq, especially with the Iraqis now taking up arms against them. So this may be the tipping point. Leader by leader we are taking out al-Qaeda’s key people. No organization can continue to lose leaders and stay viable. Especially when the leaders now run from the battles and leave their fighters to die in their place. And we are rounding these people up in large numbers, including those with ties to Iran providing the logistical support.

Coalition forces captured 27 suspected terrorists, including an alleged terrorist with ties to Iranian elements, during missions conducted across Iraq Friday as Operation Phantom Thunder continues, U.S. military officials reported.
Coalition forces detained a suspected secret cell terrorist Friday in Baghdad’s Sadr City section. It is believed the suspected terrorist has close ties to Iranian terror networks and is responsible for numerous attacks on Iraqi civilians as well as on Iraqi and Coalition forces in Baghdad.

The Iraqis are rising up against them, their leaders are being killed or running from battles, their forces are being decimated, and their support lines to Iran and Syria are being closed down. Al-Qaeda is losing in Iraq. We just need to make sure we stay long enough to finish the job right.