A Soldier's Perspective

Boom! Progress in Iraq

The battle in Iraq is noble, necessary, and just. I can't say it any clearer than that. Barack Obama said either today or yesterday that as soon as he becomes President he will IMMEDIATELY begin withdrawing troops from Iraq. The problem with that position is that he will effectively everything we've accomplished and continue to accomplish there.

I was at Barnes & Noble yesterday ordering one of my favorite drinks – Green Tea Latte with Soy Milk….mmmmmmmmmm……….just thinking about it makes me thirsty. But, I digress.

On the rack near the counter was a bunch a magazines. I noticed one magazine advertising an article named "Boom! Business is thriving, oil deals are flowing, McMansions are rising…in Iraq!!" That caught my attention. Which magazine was it? Newsweek, Time, US News? Nope. The magazine is called Conde Nast Portfolio. Yeah, me either.

Before I get to the article, consider the following in addition to the successes I've already posted:

The surge is working. Since all the surge forces began operating in mid-2007:

· Overall violence in Iraq is significantly down.
· Civilian deaths are down.
· Sectarian killings are down.
· Attacks on American forces are down.
· Coalition forces have captured or killed thousands of extremists in Iraq, including hundreds of key al Qaeda leaders and operatives.
· We have begun bringing some of our troops home as a "return on success."

When I opened up this week's Army Times, it warmed my heart as I turned to page 7 where they normally print the names and photos of my fellow Soldiers that were killed the previous week. There was ONE name there from Iraq and ONE name from Afghanistan! As a matter of fact, since the surge kicked in the number of troops on page 7 has been gracefully small.

In Iraq, we are witnessing the first large-scale Arab uprising against Osama bin Laden, his grim ideology, and his terror network. American and Iraqi forces have driven the terrorists from many of the sanctuaries they once held and will relentlessly pursue those who have now gathered in and around Mosul. Over the last five years, we have learned what happens when we pull our forces back too fast: terrorists and extremists step in, and establish safe havens where they can spread chaos and carnage. Fallujah proved this the first time! In fact, the Iraqi parliament has passed more laws in the past year due to their improved security situation than we have!!

So, it was with that in mind that I opened up my Portfolio magazine to read this article about the successes in Iraq and this caught my eye immediately:

Investors swarm in from all over the globe, and foreigners are common in Erbil, but if you mention tentatively and apologetically that you're American, a shopkeeper or cafe owner is likely to take you aside and grip your arm and address you with the passionate sincerity of a drunken uncle: "I speak not just for me but for all of Kurdish people. Please bring your United States Army here forever. You are welcome, welcome. No, I will not accept your money today, please take these goods as my gift to America."

Did that give you the same shivers it gave me? While the rest of Iraq is only beginning to realize its potential as a safe haven of prosperity, the Kurdistan region is enjoying peace, order, democracy, capitalism, and progress unlike anything they've ever experienced before. Many people call it "the Other Iraq" but it's a result of military's operations to remove Saddam's regime that made it possible.

The central government of Iraq continues to distribute oil revenue to provinces, even though the proposed oil law is still being negotiated. The central government of Iraq reached its 2007 target of $30.2 billion in budget revenue one month before the end of the year. The Government of Iraq recently completed early repayment of its outstanding obligations to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and reached a new Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF.

Again, these are the truths and realities that the anti-war crowd is protesting. These are the accomplishments of the Soldiers who sacrifice so much to bring about.