Maybe the liberal media will listen to the views of a British General just returned from Iraq on his first hand account of how things are going in Iraq:

The war for Iraq can still be won — as long as we continue to persevere.

That is the opinion of Britain’s top general in Iraq, Lieutenant-General Graeme Lamb, who has just ended a one-year tour of duty.

He served as deputy to America’s top general in Iraq, General David Petraeus, who commanded the “surge” of attacks on terrorist cells.

When General Lamb arrived in Iraq the situation was appalling. US marines were the subject of 80 attacks a day in Al-Anbar province, where the Sunni and al-Qaeda uprising was fiercest.

Al-Qaeda seemed in control. The Americans reported that the province was virtually lost to the marines. Local tribal leaders had fled.

Not now. Al-Qaeda atrocities have revolted the population. Slicing people’s faces off with piano wire is one of their specialities.

And they throw the severed heads of victims into the streets with the warning that no one should touch them.

Now, the courage of the marines has given people in Al-Anbar confidence that such horrors can be ended and the terrorists defeated.

The tribal leaders are back and asserting themselves against al-Qaeda. “We ARE defeating the al-Qaeda brand,” says General Lamb.

Islamic extremism, or as I like to call it Islamo Fascism, is on the run. It is being rejected by the Muslim street, and rejection that is crossing Iraq and which will spill out into the broader ME. The horror stories of al-Qaeda’s treatment of fellow Muslims will be the undoing of their cause. You cannot claim to be for Muslims as you slaughter hundreds a day in a vain effort for TV time on Western media. The indiscriminatge torture and killing of Muslim children is especially horrendous – and that is why al-Qaeda’s ‘brand’ is losing and America is now seen as an ally.

More and more Iraqis are swearing to fight al-Qaeda and free Iraq. Each week we see Iraqis signing accords to work together for a better future. The face of Iraq is changing dramatically as the Iraqis realize they can fight the brutality of al-Qaeda. A huge difference in perspective since the days of 9-11 and cheering in the Arab street at our suffering. Now that they too have suffered under al-Qaeda, they have decided to cheer us instead.

BTW – forgot to add this AP story by a regular visitor to Iraq where the conclusion is: the Surge is working.