The path towards a success in Iraw is still be travelled as events continue to head in the direction we need to actually have a huge success in Iraq. First off just look at this long listing of actions against al-Qaeda and their allies. So many it makes no sense to snip a few here at the site.

Then check out this first hand story from on of our military leaders who has been on the ground in Iraq and seen the sea change there. It is captured in an interview with his homebase local news in a way the national media would never do:

News reports from Iraq said that over the past 10 to 12 months sheiks throughout the Al Anbar Province have been working with U.S. commanders to help stop Al Qaeda fighters in their respective regions. Did you see this collaboration in or around Al Qaim? If so, what type of results did you see?

The collaboration began in Al Qaim with very positive results. Sheiks encouraged their members to join the security forces and provide intelligence regarding terrorists.

Sheiks publicly proclaimed their support for the local governmental institutions through both word and actions.

The members of the tribes are very respectful of their sheiks and supported their sheiks’ decisions and advice.

By the time our battalion left Al Qaim, close to a third of the population was being policed and protected exclusively by Iraqi Police and Army personnel. The population of Al Qaim grew from approximately 170,000 to 230,000 during this same period.

Why are the sheiks working with U.S. commanders?

The sheiks in Al Qaim were tired of the violence that follows the terrorists. They believed that supporting terrorists negatively impacted their responsibilities to their people to provide for their welfare.

No filtering or translation by a biased media. Just one man’s story of how Iraq is changing towards a success. And finally, while the Democrats have belatedly starting to backpedal on their doom-and-gloom predictions of military failure, the second phase of Iraqi self governing (also highlighted in the story above) is also picking up pace now that the Surge is clearing al-Qaeda with the help of local Iraqis:

To be fair to them, they are dealing with fundamental issues that will shape Iraq for the foreseeable future, so it’s somewhat understandable that there’s a good bit of wrangling,” he said to me in a telephone interview this week. “Provincial powers, for example. That’s akin to our own debate during the creation of the U.S. about states’ rights. And it took us more than a few years to resolve that.”

Nevertheless, as leaders gather to discuss parliamentary boycotts and other crises, Petraeus and his civilian counterpart, Ambassador Ryan Crocker, would like to see Iraqis “develop a process that can give hope they can come to grips with these tough pieces of legislation.”

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Despite problems at the national level, he says local leaders who have rejected the “Taliban ideology” of al-Qaeda in Iraq are “stepping up to the plate” throughout the country, and so is the Iraqi military.

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At the same time, other areas get by with few or no coalition units. Special forces and air support are called in as needed. Otherwise, locals take charge. In Anbar, force levels are being reduced. Even in Mosul, once an al-Qaeda center, the Iraqi army and police often operate without the assistance of the coalition battalion stationed there.

Bottoms up democracy, which is the best form of government. As the local governments stand up and make their voices heard there will be compromise and pogress. It is unavoidable. The people will make sure it works out.