It is just amazing to think of an Iraqi nation where al-Qaeda is the enemy and Americans are considered respected allies for fighting (and dying) to rescue Iraq Sunnis from their horrible decision to try allying with Bin Laden’s butchers. I still look at the country today which has been a tyrant’s den of darkness for as long as I have been paying attention to world events. It is just amazing how much things have changed – and for the better. Check out this statement from one of Iraq’s new heros (those who fight and destroy al-Qaeda, no ‘heros’ follow al-Qaeda):

An early pullout of US troops would spark a return of savage sectarian violence and be “disastrous” for Iraq, a tribal leader fighting Al-Qaeda in a province once fiercely anti-American told AFP.

Sheikh Ahmed Abu Reesha, leader of the “Anbar Awakening” that has ended much of Al-Qaeda’s hold over western Iraq, warned that improvements in the security situation would be lost if the United States withdrew troops.

US President George W Bush said on Saturday that Washington was on track to reduce the number of brigades in Iraq from 20 to 15 by July, a move that would bring down troop numbers to about 130,000 from 160,000 now.

“Right now, any quick withdrawal will be disastrous because the Iraqi army is incapable of taking over,” Sheikh Ahmed said in an interview. “Any withdrawal must happen only when the Iraqi army is 100 percent ready to protect the country.

“The government and the country cannot afford to be without help from the Americans.”

This is not a plea, it is a statement for the Democrats to hear and somehow learn to grow up. Forget surrendering to al-Qaeda. Forget the quagmire. Forget giving up because life horrifies you with all its hostilities. I think Iraq will still be the big issue in 2008, and right now it is not going well for the Surrendercrats.

I found this UPI story a few days ago (sorry, working 10-12 hour days and not able to blog much) which highlights our most recent successes in cleansing Diyala Province of the last remnants of al-Qaeda:

After six days of clearing operations against al-Qaida terrorists in Diyala’s northern river valley in Iraq, U.S. military forces are preparing to transition to the holding stage of Operation Raider Harvest to lay the security groundwork for follow-on Iraqi security forces.

Military authorities said though clearing operations are ongoing in the area, day-to-day security will increasingly be handed over to Iraqi army and police units and a network of Concerned Local Citizens groups – an armed neighborhood watch organization – would be buttressed and expanded.

…

The Bread Basket, an area of some 110 square miles in the northern Diyala River Valley, had long been an al-Qaida stronghold – part of it’s Islamic Republic of Iraq caliphate that was centered in Baqubah, the provincial capital about 35 miles northeast of Baghdad.

When the surge of U.S. force pushed al-Qaida out of Baghdad last year al-Qaida retreated to Baqubah, when pushed out of Baqubah they retreated to the Bread basket, where villagers now tell of a reign of terror.

“As we transition into the next phase, you will essentially see a planting of the Iraqi flag in the northern DRV (Diyala River Valley),” Brown said. “You will start to see Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police, which up until this point, had not patrolled in this area, and here shortly, you will see the linkage between the provincial leaders and the local leaders.”

While I am surprised it has taken this long (I sometimes forget Iraq is the size of CA) the basic strategy has been in place for a year now. And I have said Diyala would be the point of no return for al-Qaeda. These latest mop-up operations have resulted in 60 militants killed and nearly 200 arrested. And we seem to be surgically targeting the leaders as we see another AQ ’emir’ killed by Iraqi forces (Iraqis boasted just this weekend that they had fully penetrated what was left of al-Qaeda and would be taking them out now).

The change in Iraq is stunning. A new study shows the incredible drop off in US combat related deaths from a year:

Combat-related U.S. casualties in Iraq were 82.9 percent less in December 2007 than they were in December 2006, according to an exclusive Cybercast News Service analysis of Defense Department data.

In December 2006, according to an analysis based on casualty reports released by the Defense Department, 82 U.S. military personnel were killed in Iraq as a result of enemy action. In December 2007, 14 U.S. military personnel were killed in Iraq as a result of enemy action. (Overall in December 2006, 90 U.S. military personnel were killed in Iraq, including not only those killed by enemy action but also those who died in non-combat-related accidents and for other reasons. In December 2007, 19 U.S. military personnel were killed in Iraq overall, including those who died for non-combat-related reasons.)

Here’s the conundrum for the democrats – these numbers are just going to get more stunning as the year goes on. The peak of the bloodshed was more towards the spring, so as the numbers fall off this year they are going to look even smaller as the numbers one year ago continue to rise. This will just emphasize how wrong the democrats were (and still are) on Iraq. The other stories that will be bashing them all year is the great news of peace returning to Iraq:

In stark contrast to a year ago, locally-based US marines patrol on foot through the market most days.

They remain heavily-armed and alert, but they also chat with residents to learn the latest news — who’s returned to the city, which families are celebrating the birth of a child — and they join in good-humoured complaints about the recent cold weather.
Riyadh, 25, is one stallholder enjoying a new calm in the Sunni city of Ramadi, 100 kilometres (60 miles) west of Baghdad, where conflict that raged since the 2003 overthrow of Saddam Hussein has been quelled by tribal leaders switching allegiance from Al-Qaeda to the US forces.

“The situation is better, it has been improving for six months,” said Riyadh, who would only give one name.

“The soldiers are not necessary anymore. We need services: clean water, electricity, gas for heating and cooking, and fuel for cars. These things are very short,” he said, speaking to AFP through an interpreter employed by the US military. “Mothers and children are cold.”

Riyadh, who sells an impressive range of tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and oranges, said his stall was closed for months at a time during the worst of the insurgency violence, but now the shoppers are returning.

“I am making some money, but it all goes to pay off my debts,” he said with a smile.

How can Dems keep moaning about defeat and horror when the biggest problem in Ramadi is getting services? The dichotomy between their doom and gloom delusions and the hopeful progress in Iraq will continue to gnaw at Americans who would be rightfully wondering about the mental health of a President who fails to grasp success and build on it, but who instead intends to run away and hide. Just don’t see the Surrendercrat thing working this year.