Perhaps lost in the hubbub over the pregnancies of rustic teenagers and the 20-year old DUI convictions of blue collar fisherman was this bit of trivia:
American forces on Monday handed over security responsibility to the Iraqis in a province that the U.S. once feared was lost — a sign of the stunning reversal of fortunes since local Sunnis turned against al-Qaida in Iraq…
(The) transfer of Anbar province, the cradle of the Sunni insurgency and the birthplace of al-Qaida in Iraq, marked a dramatic milestone in America’s plan to eventually hand over all 18 provinces to Iraqi control so U.S. troops can go home.
The 25,000 American troops remaining in Anbar will focus on training Iraq’s military and police forces and standing by to help if the Iraqis are unable to cope with any surge in violence.
If the national government can accommodate itself to the existence of a Sunni power center in western Iraq, our internal security work will be almost entirely done. We will be able to focus on training an Iraqi army that is secure in its own borders, serving a stable, prosperous and representative government that is no threat to its neighbors and contributes to the defeat of terrorists.
Where have I heard that before?
Isn’t it wonderful how the MSM can ignore an historic story like this one. Too busy making [up] their own news, I guess.
Marianne
This is, indeed, the item that should be receiving the lion’s share of comments this week! This is the answer to the question, “what does SUCCESS in Iraq mean,” that’s been asked by so many commentaters during this political season.
I hope McCain begins to tout this success as the result of the surge. He can applaud our troops as well as the Iraqis as they continue to accept the baton, province after province. I wonder, will MSNBC and the rest of the MSM report this?
My Marine compadres suggest an LHA be christened USS AL ANBAR.
I think they got somethin’ there.
Tom