Signs of the surge's success - Center for Security Policy

In Iraq the surge is showing early signs of success despite the efforts of Congress.

In an op.ed for Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal, noted Baghdad bloggers Mohammed and Omar Fadhil observe that early signs of the surge’s success are manifest.

Even before the operation began, in fact, simply the news of the pending arrival of additional troops had a positive impact on the ground, as various extremist groups abandoned their positions in the capital and in some cases fled the country. Wisely, the Iraqi government responded by announcing supporting security measures in the provinces around Baghdad to prevent militants from regrouping, as has happened in the past.

"Unlike other operations that always started from a peak and soon lost momentum," the Fadhils explain, "this plan is becoming stricter and gaining momentum by the day as more troops pour into the city, allowing for a better implementation of the ‘clear and hold’ strategy." Perhaps most critically, the seriousness with which the Iraqi government is approaching this attempt to establish security appears to be demonstrably greater than in the past – for example, by announcing that political factions will not be permitted to interfere with military actions, and that even places of worship and offices of politicians will be subject to raids if evidence of their involvement in violence is uncovered.

"The fear of civil war," the authors report, "is slowly being replaced by optimism that peace might one day return to this city. This change in mood is something huge by itself." As a result, more than one thousand families have returned to their homes, stores are reopening and marketplaces are seeing increased activity, and Iraqi officials are beginning to emerge from behind the walls of the Green Zone to walk among the people.

Although tough work lies ahead, it looks as if reckless attempts by members of Congress to demonstrate that America had lost its resolve did not succeed. It is incumbent upon those legislators to swallow their pride and turn their efforts toward consolidating the Iraqi people’s victory over terror.