Is the Iraq War Finally Over ?

Here is just the latest under reported news, out this week. Just 27 American soldiers were killed in action in Iraq in October – the lowest monthly figure since March last year. (This is a provisional figure and may alter over the next week.) The number of Iraqi civilians killed last month – mostly by Islamist and fascist terrorists – was around 760, according to Iraqi Government sources.

That is still tragically high, but the monthly toll has plummeted since January’s grim total of 1990. What measures of success do critics of Iraq’s liberation now demand? Violence is falling fast. Al Qaeda has been crippled. The Shiites, Kurds and Marsh Arabs no longer face genocide. What’s more, the country has stayed unified. The majority now rules. Despite that, minority Sunni leaders are co-operating in government with Shiite ones. There is no civil war. The Kurds have not broken away. Iran has not turned Iraq into its puppet. And the country’s institutions are getting stronger. The Iraqi army is now at full strength, at least in numbers. The country has a vigorous media. A democratic constitution has been adopted and backed by a popular vote. Election after election has Iraqis turning up in their millions.

Add it all up. Iraq not only remains a democracy, but shows no sign of collapse. I repeat: the battle for a free Iraq has been won.Now the task is one familiar to every democracy, and especially any in the Middle East: eternal vigilance. If you doubt my assessment of Iraq, ask Osama bin Laden. Al-Qaeda’s media arm last week released a video on the internet in which bin Laden – or a man masquerading as him – revealed how disastrously his war against democracy in Iraq was going. He called for intensified fighting against the Americans and pleaded for Muslims in the region to come help. “Where are the soldiers of the Levant and the reinforcements from Yemen?” he demanded. “Where are the knights of Egypt and the lions of Hejaz (in Saudi Arabia)? Come to the aid of your brothers in Iraq.”

Iraq War Over – We Won! » Outside The Beltway | OTB

(via Bloglines)

Not sure we can proclaim that the “War is Over” — but perhaps the current police action may be. The surge may in fact be working, probably to the dismay of the Democratic National Committee’s political anti-”war” spin machine. What if Iraq becomes even more stabilized next year as we approach the 2008 election? The big question remains, “If the “war” is over, when will a significant number of troops begin to be re-deployed and what stabilizing multi-national force will gradually take their place if necessary?” Is Iraq ready to receive policing and logistical support from their neighboring moderate Arab nations in the continued fight against internal and external extremists? Maybe it’s time that we begin to hear more about that possibility going forward from Republicans. It is certainly a more appealing option than the current “cut and run” strategy of the far left.

[Rate This Post]

Sphere: Related Content

You can follow any discussion by checking the notification box below the comment area or via our RSS 2.0 comment feed. -- ZZ N&S Staff