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June 5, 2008
With the upcoming presidential race and the high cost of energy dominating recent headlines, it has been hard to find much coverage of the good news coming from Iraq. But evidence abounds that shows the surge is working. Though it may not have led the news, significant progress did occur in Iraq during the month of May.
For the first time, the Iraqi government and army have control of Basra and the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad. U.S. and Iraqi forces have intensified the offensive in Mosul, which is the last urban refuge of al-Qaeda. These developments and others have even led the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Croker, who has been cautious in his assessments of success, to say that al-Qaeda in Iraq has "never been closer to defeat than they are now."
Attacks are down 70 percent since the president ordered this troop increase early last year, and May was one of the least violent months of the Iraq war. We mourn every life that is lost, including the 18 Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country in May. Compared to the 126 Americans lost in May 2007, this is a dramatic decline. And reports show that injuries among U.S. troops are at their lowest level this year.
On the home front, we celebrate the recent homecoming of Tennessee's 1/181st Field Artillery Battalion, which returned without losing a soldier during their tour in Iraq. My nephew is one of these great Tennessee National Guardsmen who came back safely with his entire brigade. This mirrors the larger picture of what is happening right now. The credit for these positive trends is due in large part to the troop surge, our brave men and women in uniform and the leadership of Gen. David Petraeus.
In addition, strong voices from those within Islam now are speaking out against Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. Some of these voices are from people who were once sympathizers with al Qaeda, including former supporters and trainees. Pew polls reveal that recently al Qaeda's support has been declining throughout the Muslim world. Many Muslims are now rejecting al Qaeda's tactics and the murder of innocent lives.
In spite of this, threats remain in Iraq and the challenges in the region continue: Just this week, it was reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad predicted that the "satanic power of the United States" will be "annihilated," and that Israel will soon be "erased." These words show the level of opposition we still face in the region.
The change in approach to the war that brought the troop surge appears to be working and we have hope that this success will continue. We cannot be content with where we are now, but these improving conditions are encouraging developments in the ongoing war. Now we must sustain our efforts, rededicate ourselves to the cause of freedom and work to bring our troops home on a responsible schedule of our choosing in victory with honor.
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