Bush Was Right: Iraq Wanted Democracy And Freedom

H/T Pat Dollard.

ABC News:

Dramatic Advances Sweep Iraq, Boosting Support for Democracy
ABC News/BBC/NHK National Survey of Iraq

ANALYSIS by GARY LANGER

Dramatic advances in public attitudes are sweeping Iraq, with declining violence, rising economic well-being and improved services lifting optimism, fueling confidence in public institutions and bolstering support for democracy.

The gains in the latest ABC News/BBC/NHK poll represent a stunning reversal of the spiral of despair caused by Iraq’s sectarian violence in 2006 and 2007. The sweeping rebound, extending initial improvements first seen a year ago, marks no less than the opportunity for a new future for Iraq and its people.

Click here for PDF of analysis with charts and full questionnaire.
Click here for charts on the results.
Click here for photos from the field.

While deep difficulties remain, the advances are remarkable. Eighty-four percent of Iraqis now rate security in their own area positively, nearly double its August 2007 level. Seventy-eight percent say their protection from crime is good, more than double its low. Three-quarters say they can go where they want safely – triple what it’s been.

Few credit the United States, still widely unpopular given the post-invasion violence, and eight in 10 favor its withdrawal on schedule by 2011 – or sooner. But at the same time a new high, 64 percent of Iraqis, now call democracy their preferred form of government.

Remaining challenges are serious. Many views have not recovered to their pre-2006 levels. Violence continues, even if much abated. Basic services such as medical care and clean water, though better, are still in short supply. Even with their confidence vastly improved, Sunni Arabs remain far more vulnerable personally and skeptical politically. Sunni/Shiite segregation has increased sharply. Kurdish-Arab relations are tense. And issues from corruption to suspected vote fraud and political gridlock cloud the horizon.

Still, the number of Iraqis who call security the single biggest problem in their own lives has dropped from 48 percent in March 2007 to 20 percent now. Two years ago 56 percent called it the single biggest problem for the country as a whole; that’s down to 35 percent now, including a 15-point drop in the last year alone. Fifty-nine percent now feel “very” safe in their communities, up 22 points from last year and more than double its lowest. Recent local fighting among sectarian forces is reported by 6 percent, compared with 22 percent a year ago.

Optimism and confidence have followed. Sixty-five percent of Iraqis say things are going well in their own lives, up from 39 percent in 2007 (albeit still a bit below its 2005 peak). Fifty-eight percent say things are going well for Iraq – a new high, up from only 22 percent in 2007. Expectations for the year ahead, at the national and personal levels, also have soared, after crashing in 2007. And the sharpest advances have come among Sunni Arabs, the favored group under Saddam Hussein, deeply alienated by his overthrow, now re-engaging in Iraq’s national life.

 

 

  

ISW E-Newsletter: Training Security Forces Not a Simple Task

March 13, 2009

Dear Pastor Ed Boston,

This week, with the recent barrage of attacks in Iraq and the announcement of additional troops being deployed to Afghanistan, ISW Senior Fellow, LTG James M. Dubik (retired), provides an insider's perspective on what it takes to raise indigenous security forces. Dubik's Commentary, The Simple vs. The Complete, points to requirements of time, organization and partnerships to successfully raise a security force. Time is required to provide equipment and training, achieve cohesion and capability, add quality leadership and support functions, and develop institutions. Organization is required to develop the institutions, bureaucracies, and processes necessary for force management, acquisitions, training, funding, sustaining, and developing an indigenous security force once raised. Finally, quality partnerships between the training country and the host country are essential to success. These partnerships must be formed between the fighting forces, with the security sector's civilian and military leadership, and with economic leaders and civil government officials.

Prior to becoming a Senior Fellow at ISW, Dubik commanded the Multi National Security Transition Command-Iraq (MNSTC-I) from June 10, 2007 until just before his retirement from service on September 1, 2008. During this final command, he oversaw the generation and training of the Iraqi Security Forces. For a better understanding of what goes into training security forces, be sure to read The Simple vs. The Complete.

Weekly Email: Institute For The STUDY of WAR

IMAGE OF THE WEEK During last week's ISW Capitol Hill Lunch Brief, ISW President, Kimberly Kagan, and ISW Research Analyst, Claire Russo, spoke about the recent Provincial Elections held in Iraq. RECENT PRODUCTS COMMENTARY » Capitol Hill Briefing: Provincial Elections in Iraq NEW! February 19, 2009 COMMENTARY » ISW News Roundup - February 19, 2009 NEW! February 19, 2009 COMMENTARY » ISW's Iraq Election Center NEW! February 5, 2009 COMMENTARY » "Iraq's Remarkable Election" in the Wall Street Journal NEW! February 5, 2009 SUPPORT US \ Help us thrive! Your donation will help our organization and enhance our product offerings. | Donate Now | February 19, 2009 Dear Pastor Ed Boston, Last week, ISW hosted a Capitol Hill lunch briefing on the recent elections in Iraq. If you missed the briefing, be sure to check out the briefing's highlights by ISW Research Analyst Claire Russo. Included in the main points are: The Iraqi population demonstrated its understanding that democracy can provide for their needs as, throughout Iraq, they voted for nationalist and secular-leaning parties over the sectarian parties who won in the elections of 2005. Iraqis voted out incumbents in the majority of provinces, in what appears to be a demand for action at the local level. The Sunni population of Iraq passed a major milestone in their reconciliation by electing a variety of political parties that illustrate the Sunnis' diverse political objectives. Iraqis demonstrated their desire for a nation ruled by a strong central government, and despite successful provincial elections, many political obstacles lie ahead.

Iraq Report: Iranian Special Groups Regenerate

IMAGE OF THE WEEK

Al-Anbar Transitions To Iraqi Control: Iraqi security forces parade during the provincial Iraqi control ceremony at the provincial government center in Ramadi, Iraq, Sep. 1, 2008. The ceremony promotes the assumption of responsibility for security by the Iraqi government. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Capt. Timothy E LeMaster/Released).

By Marisa Cochrane
September 5, 2008

Iran is still meddling violently in Iraqi affairs.  This past week alone, Coalition Forces captured nine members of an Iranian-backed Shia terror group, "The League of the Righteous," during raids in Baghdad and Muthanna. One of the detainees was a senior member in charge of the group's logistics and financial operations.

Last week, U.S. forces arrested Ali al-Lami, a senior official in Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government, returning to Baghdad from Lebanon.  Ali al-Lami is suspected of having ties to Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias and plotting a spectacular June bombing that killed 10 people, including four Americans.

ISW Research Manager, Marisa Cochrane, explains the persistent Iranian involvement in her most recent Iraq Report, Special Groups Regenerate, published this week.

Cochrane explains how Iranian-backed Special Groups have prepared to return to Iraq to conduct a series of assassinations against Iraqi officials and launch spectacular attacks against U.S. targets.  Special Groups Regenerate paper traces the way in which Special Groups used "train the trainer" programs inside Iraq to develop new capabilities that they attempted to use in the spring in Basra, Sadr City, and al Amarah.

She explains how they built up their military power in order to launch an offensive against U.S. Forces and the Iraqi Government this spring, and how the Basra offensive precipitated their attack and threw off its timing.

She traces the flight of Special Groups leaders and fighters to Iran after their defeat in these operations, and she explains how they have used the summer in Iran to regroup, reorganize, and learn from their failures. Following reconsolidation and retraining in Iran, it is highly likely that Special Groups will return to Iraq and rebuild their networks, adopting new tactics to escalate violence accordingly.

U.S. Forces and their Iraqi counterparts have a limited window to prepare for this eventual return and to mitigate the dangers that accompany it, and the recent arrests of militia members are important first steps in preventing the large-scale destruction planned by Special Groups.

The complete report can be read here; Iraq Report 11 in .pdf.

Back From Iraq - VFF Combat Veterans are Home From Embed

Back From Iraq With Stories of Success!

Dear Vets for Freedom Member:

Last weekend Vets for Freedom welcomed eight Iraq War combat veterans home as we returned from serving as embedded correspondents with U.S. combat units. The seven combat vets and myself met with top commanders, the lieutenants and sergeants fighting on the ground, their Iraqi counterparts and ordinary Iraqi citizens.

We returned to Iraq as part of the Back--to--Iraq embed program sponsored by Vets for Freedom and National Review Online, The Weekly Standard and Blackfive. In doing so, each of us had the opportunity to assess the situation on the ground in cities like, Fallujah, Samarra and Baghdad. We posed tough questions to top commanders, scrutinized the implementation of General Petreaus' counterinsurgency plan and surveyed the impact that the Surge has had in Iraq.

Read Our Dispatches and Watch our Videos from the Frontlines Here


Pete Hegseth, VFF Chairman: Why Victory in Iraq Matters

David Bellavia, VFF Co-Founder: Diyala Surge

Ben Hayden, VFF Iowa State Captain: Interview with an Iraqi Translator

Two things were evident after having just returned from Iraq as an embedded correspondent: the surge is incontrovertibly working and in order to succeed in Iraq we have a limited window of opportunity in which to sustain the security gains that Americans and Iraqis have fought so hard for.

Immediately upon returning, Vets for Freedom co-founder and former Army Staff Sergeant David Bellavia and former Marine Corps Captain Erik Swabb participated in an Iraq Update Forum with one of Senator Barrack Obama's chief foreign policy advisors, Colin Kahl at the American Enterprise Institute. And, this morning David Bellavia was featured on C-SPAN's Washington Journal taking questions from viewers from around the nation.

Today, we urgently need your help in order to educate the American people about the importance of achieving victory in Iraq. Please sign up on the VFF website and let us know how you will help to inform your friends and neighbors about the phenomenal progress in Iraq and the need for victory on every front of the Global War on Terrorism!

Sign Up Today:
Let America Know We Want Our Troops to Win

With Confidence,

Joel Arends
Executive Director
Vets for Freedom

Update: Vets For Freedom Reporting From Iraq

From Pete Hegseth,

Last week, myself and 7 other Vets for Freedom members headed Back to Iraq. As we wrap up our trip in Baghdad today, we hope you'll take a minute to check out a few of our daily dispatches, video, and photos. It's been an honor to travel with such a great group, and once again experience the courage and honor of our warriors in harm's way. Check out the links below:

Pete Hegseth: Up and Over the Palm Tree
David Bellavia: Diyala Surge
Kate Norley: Back to Iraq Journal Entry # 4
Daniel Bell: Back to Iraq Journal Entry # 6
Erik Swabb: Back to Iraq Journal Entry # 3
Shawn Bryan: Dispatch from Kuwait
Ben Hayden: Back to Iraq Journal Entry # 3

From Diyala to Samarra we have witnessed the success of the surge, the improvements of the Iraqi Army and the Sons of Iraq, and the need for the United States to support the Iraqi government's efforts to regain control over their country. Success is evident and victory in Iraq is possible.

More dispatches will continue to roll in this week and next, so stay tuned for more.

We'd once again like to thank again the organizations that helped make this trip possible--National Review Online, The Weekly Standard, BlackFive.net, Under Armor, Wiley X, and North American Rescue.

Most importantly Vets for Freedom thanks those who donated--large and small--to make this trip, and hopefully future trips, possible. Per our mission statement, we will continue to share the 'ground truth' with the American people despite the critics and naysayers who mock our efforts and cheer for our demise. Please consider donating to fund future trips by clicking HERE. With your help we hope to travel to other battlefields and report the conditions--the good, the bad, the truth.

Move Out and Draw Fire!


Pete Hegseth
Chairman, Vets for Freedom

Iraq War Updates

Through a series of weekly updates from the Institute for the Study of War(ISW), ISW will keep you informed about vital defense issues, including the ongoing mission in Iraq.

Following a two week visit to Iraq that spanned the entire country, ISW President Kimberly Kagan co-authored a Wall Street Journal Opinion piece that considers the "New Reality in Iraq".

The New Reality in Iraq (The Wall Street Journal)
July 16, 2008
Kimberly Kagan

By Frederick W. Kagan, Kimberly Kagan, and Jack Keane

All of the most important objectives of the surge have been accomplished in Iraq. The sectarian civil war is ended; al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) has been dealt a devastating blow; and the Sadrist militia and other Iranian-backed militant groups have been disrupted.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi government has accomplished almost all of the legislative benchmarks set by the U.S. Congress and the Bush administration. More important, it is gaining wider legitimacy among the population.

The attention of Iraqis across the country is focused on the upcoming provincial elections, which will be a pivotal moment in Iraq's development.

The result is that we have an extraordinary – but fleeting – opportunity to advance America's security and the stability of a vital region of the world.

Read the rest at the Wall Street Journal.

This week, Kimberly also wrote a cover story for the Weekly Standard on "The Future of Iraq" (below)

The article describes her visit to the headquarters of a small,secular political party preparing for Iraq's upcoming provincial elections, and the competition among Iraq's leading political parties in advance of this potentially watershed event.

The security situation in Iraq has improved over the last several months as the Iraqi Security Forces, supported by the Coalition, have gained control of the former militia safe-havens in Sadr City, Basra,and Amarah. News reports state that many leaders of the Iranian-backed Special Groups have returned to Iran.

Likewise, many formerly violent militia leaders and fighters have dispersed or gone to ground. The lingering networks of the Special Groups nevertheless remain a serious, potential threat to the security of Iraq and the stability of its government. ISW's interactive map provides a great visual understanding of the level of activity in the country by and againstthe Iranian backed Special Groups.

The Future of Iraq (The Weekly Standard)
July 21, 2008
Kimberly Kagan
Baghdad

I have made four trips to Iraq since May 2007. I have walked through markets in Baghdad escorted by U.S. soldiers, visited the outposts where they live with their Iraqi army partners, talked with school children playing soccer in the street, seen newly renovated housing in war-torn neighborhoods, and eaten in the homes of local and tribal leaders who have helped our soldiers fight Al Qaeda in Iraq.

This morning, a weekday in July 2008, I am doing something I have never done before: visiting the headquarters of a small Iraqi political party to learn about its campaign for the upcoming provincial and national elections.

The visit was not on the original itinerary of the group of military analysts with whom I am traveling. The party's leader, a member of parliament whom we met several days ago, invited us to his headquarters, our schedule permitting. We have cancelled a morning's worth of meetings in order to see something new.

Read the rest at The Weekly Standard.

Finally, ISW has also updated the Iraq Statistics Reference for July.

The updated statistics show a significant drop in the number of attacks against Iraqi infrastructure, bombs (IEDs and Mincs), sniper and other small arms attacks, and mortar and rocket attacks. Since May 2007, the total number of attacks has dropped from nearly 1600 to just over 200. The new statistics also show the level of ethno-sectarian violence in Baghdad, as well as the number of weapon caches found andcleared by Coalition Forces.

Iraq Statistics Reference - July 2008
For updated information on trends of insurgent organization and activity, cache discoveries, casualty rates and trends of violence, including graphs and charts released by MNF-I and MNC-I, access the July 2008 Iraq Statistics Reference here.

Map of Special Groups Activity in Iraq

Updated as of July 11, 2008, this document maps Multi-National Force-Iraq press releases on activity by and against Special Groups. The press releases are plotted by the location of the incident in reverse chronological order. Efforts have been made to plot the data points with as much accuracy as possible. Approximate placemarks are noted in the description.

Incidents with unspecified locations in Baghdad are placed in Sadr City, Baghdad, as this area is a known hub of Special Groups activity.

Red placemarks represent incidents of explosively-formed penetrator (EFP) detonations or other attacks with probable links to Special Groups.

Yellow placemarks indicate discoveries of caches containing weapons associated with Special Groups.

Green placemarks identify detainments of suspected Special Groups criminals.

Purple placemarks label precision strikes against Special Groups by coalition aerial weapons teams and other aerial resources. The mapped list includes all MNF-I press releases that indicate confirmed or probable Special Groups involvement. It does not include reports from other sources.

Another Poem from Forrest Langley

The price to pay for American withdrawal in Iraq!

Over a Trillion dollar gift the cost of invading the land.
More than 4000 US soldiers died all to give Iraq to Iran.
Americas wounded whose blood soaks the sands of Iraq
What an awesome cost as Obama stabs them in the back

Iran knows what it would mean if Shiites control Iraq.
And have a plan to bring a world Islamic Empire back.
Oil is the lifeblood on which world economy does flow.
They know majority of world oil. Shiites would control.

Shiites were kept in check by Saddam the Sunni of Iraq
And American blood is all that’s holding a monster back
65% of worlds proven oil reserves these 2 lands contain
Iraq’s Shiite majority will unite with Iran’s this is too plain.  
  
Mesopotamia would become a United Shiite Theocracy
And the death knell sounds for Middle East Democracy
Oil of Iraq and Iran united. New Economic empire in sight
The Sunnis would convert or die at the hands of the Shiite

Babylon and Persia united Nuclear Weapons at command.
The Muslims of Saudi Arabia and the world unite with Iran
They certainly would use an oil weapon bankrupt one and all
A World Religion could arise if America decides to withdraw

Iraq paid for by Americas blood a gift to Ahmadinejad in Iran
Persian visions of America and Israel’s destruction at  hand
Give the Shiites all this power even now the uranium spins
An Islamic Economic Nuclear Superpower shall descend

This could turn into Nebuchadnezzar’s troubling dream 
Persia has Major plans for Iraq for which now they scheme
In latter times Ezekiel 38-39 Persia becomes a world power
And enjoys military might with the antichrist for one hour

Matthew 24 Jesus said when Israel is reborn in the latter day
Those alive would not pass away until all Prophecies fulfilled
Generation that sees Israel again become an independent state 
Iran destined to rise world stage Generation is nineteen forty eight 

Here is what is scary not a single biblical prophecy has failed
America is no where to be found as a superpower tis derailed
Iran and Iraq according to Daniel is to become a superpower
America will this fulfill if it fails and leaves its watchtower.

General Petraeus 
Iran according to reports already smuggling drugs and such across our borders using Hezbollah. If it obtains nukes it no doubt will slip suitcase nukes into our country because this fanatic state believes that it is their God given destiny to destroy the west and Israel and by doing this will empower the Mahdi the Shiite Messiah who by the way Iran has claimed to have him in hiding along with Jesus Christ who is supposed to explain that he is not the Son of God. I just thought I would send you my latest poem sir.

 God bless you my dear General. I am so proud of what you have done. May God richly bless you with wisdom.

 signed PFC Langley US Infantry Retired



Written by Forrest Langley meditating on the consequences of withdrawal of American forces from Iraq.

Pictures from Iraq

Cpl. Dean Bruce (right) and crew. 

Cpl. Bruce is on our prayer list in the left column.

A picture of a desert sunset - submitted by Cpl. Bruce.

Vets for Freedom Supports Revised G.I. Bill

Dear Vets for Freedom members:

I know you are as pleased as I am to see the continued progress being made in Iraq—most notably in Basra, where even the New York Times reported that "the city of Basra has been transformed by its own surge." After a slow start, Iraqi forces have taken control of the city away from Sadr’s militia and Iranian-backed militants. This is great news, even though many anti-war groups will never admit it. As always, we remain dedicated to spreading the "ground truth" about what is happening in Iraq. Check out our "Freedom Update" and "Troop Blog" to get regular updates.

And while we will always be committed to success in America’s fight against radical Islam around the globe, Vets for Freedom is gradually expanding its scope on issues that are important to members of our organization and all military personnel. This morning, we issued a statement in support of a revised GI Bill that both provides more educational benefits to veterans, but also addresses the retention needs of our all-volunteer force. We strongly feel that a compromise between competing GI Bills (Senator Webb’s Bill and Senators McCain and Graham’s Bill) will be of the most benefit to today’s veterans, active duty military members, reservists, and the future of our fighting force.

Below is the statement we released today:

Vets for Freedom Supports Revised GI Bill

STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 14, 2008 
Contact: Judy Mayka (202) 338-4070 

(Washington DC) Vets for Freedom urges Senate members to work together to pass a GI Bill that not only addresses the immediate need for increased financial and educational benefits, but that also takes into account the unique dynamics of today’s all-volunteer force. The US military is working hard to increase its ranks in order to meet strategic needs across the globe; and as a result, it is imperative that recruitment and retention are both addressed as part of any GI Bill.

The Webb Bill correctly recognizes the rising costs of secondary education, and the importance of pegging yearly benefit increases to educational inflation indices, rather than the Consumer Price Index, which would require Congress to revisit the issue in a few years. The Webb Bill also allows for the accrual of Active Duty benefits for Reservists and National Guardsmen, many of which have seen repeated deployments.

On the other hand, the McCain-Graham Bill substantially increases monthly educational benefits and could be implemented immediately; while the Webb Bill would take over a year to implement and would require a new layer of Pentagon bureaucracy. The McCain-Graham Bill also rewards troops who remain in the military, providing strong incentives for our best and brightest to continue their service and support a growing force. 

"Both the Webb and McCain-Graham bills have valuable aspects that address the needs of our military and our men and women in uniform." said Pete Hegseth, Executive Director of Vets for Freedom. "Vets for Freedom trusts that those involved will work toward a compromise to integrate the best aspects of both bills, and ensure its passage and implementation in a timely manner."

Vets for Freedom is a nonpartisan organization established by combat veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its mission is to educate the American public about the importance of achieving success in these conflicts by applying our first-hand knowledge to issues of American military strategy. For more information, please visit www.vetsforfreedom.org.

What's UP With This???

Cyber Pastor's comments in red (thanks for the idea Dean).

Democrats Send Letter to Bush Calling for New Iraq Strategy

WASHINGTON —  Democrats signaled on Friday that they don't see much hope in ending the Iraq war this year so long as President Bush insists U.S. troops remain committed there in large numbers. (An intelligent bunch they are. Wonder what gave them the big clue - maybe the success of The Surge)

But party leaders wrote to Bush on Friday anyhow, telling him it's not too late to change course and pleading with him not to leave the war for the next president to handle. (It's not to late to change from a winning strategy????)

"We are deeply concerned that you and the congressional Republican leadership are intent on staying the current course throughout your administration and then handing the Iraq war off to future presidents," the Democrats wrote.

Others said they hope to see continued efforts to force troop withdrawals, but acknowledged they were unlikely to succeed.

"I expect most of our troops to still be there" come the end of the year, said Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee. (Don't you love it when they state the obvious?)

"Until there's either a big enough majority in the Senate or a change in the president's (approach), I don't see a significant improvement situation improvement in Iraq," he later added, in a conference call with reporters on Friday.

Sen. Joseph Biden, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, in the same conference call predicted that the situation in Iraq will grow considerably worse by September "because the administration seems to have no political game plan." (link here to Snooper's article showing how the Iraqi government has done better than the Democratic controlled US Congress)

Democrats are engaged in a full-court press against Bush's Iraq policy in advance of next week's testimony by Gen. David Petraeus, (that worked out real well last September, maybe MORON.org will run another ad) the top military commander in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador there. Petraeus and Crocker are expected to say the recent buildup in troops has succeeded in improving security. But, they also will say that a period of assessment is needed this summer before officials can decide whether troop withdrawals can continue.

Democrats called this approach unacceptable and said they would pursue an alternative policy through legislation. They said their focus will be on restoring the strength of the Army and Marines and refocusing the nation's resources on fighting terrorists in Afghanistan.

But Democrats face an uphill battle. Lacking a veto-proof majority, the party has repeatedly failed to force Bush to accept any anti-war legislation, including one measure supported by many Republicans that would have required that troops spend more time at home between combat tours.

Further, the only legislative approach guaranteed to end the war would be for Congress to cut off money for troops while in combat — a position that not enough Democrats support and which Republicans universally oppose.

The lack of options has left Democrats with mostly rhetoric, as it becomes all but certain that the next president will have to manage the war once Bush leaves office.

"The current Iraq strategy has no discernible end in sight and requires the United States to spend additional hundreds of billions of dollars despite urgent national needs in education, health care, and infrastructure improvement, and when high oil prices have provided the Iraqi government with billions in additional revenue that could pay for their own redevelopment and security," the Democratic leaders wrote in their letter.

"This strategy is neither sustainable nor in our broader national security or economic interest," they said.

The letter was signed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois. (and why would anyone listen to those with the worst approval rating in the history of Congress?)

Republicans said they were satisified with the outcome of last year's troop buildup.

"Gen. Petraeus has put us on a new path toward a successful and honorable end to the Iraq war," declared Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who last year questioned the administration's plans and supported legislation that would have set a goal of relinquishing the combat mission within 15 months.

Added House Republican Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio: "Our goal is to bring our troops home as soon as we can, but we need to bring them home after success, not failure." (if they would only listen to Pete Hegseth, he says this all the time!)

Levin, D-Mich., said he plans to press Petraeus and Crocker next week on the recent Iraqi operation in Basra (I hope so, because then they will here the real facts and not what the MSM gave), which Democrats deemed a failure, and why Iraq's oil profits aren't being used to rebuild the country. Biden, D-Del., said he will have similar questions, including what political consequence might exist for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's "missteps."

Levin said a critical mistake by the administration has been to "put all of our eggs in Maliki's basket," when Maliki has proven himself to be "incompetent" and running "a corrupt administration." (Does this mean the the Democrats now suffer from MDS as well as BDS?)

Levin and Biden also reiterated calls for the administration to release publicly a new classified intelligence assessment on Iraq. The report is said to be similar to the last assessment, delivered in August, which shows that significant security progress has been made. Many of the conclusions of the report are already reflected in public statements and press reports, U.S. officials said.

"I read it cover to cover," Biden said. "There is no reason why" to keep it classified. (I bet reading the "truth" will change his mind - yeah and that will happen at the same time Dean puts on a pink tight suit and marches with Code Pepto)

Now the ol' Cyber Pastor isn't normally quite so sarcastic, but maybe it's because the Democratic commercials are on heavy rotation here in Indiana and it's about to drive me straight up the wall. I'll feel better once we get to DC on Monday, but until then, I'm not going to promise that the snide remarks will go away! ---- Cyber Pastor

Vets for Freedom: We Must Press Forward in Iraq

We Must Press Forward in Iraq

Take Action!
The Costs of Retreat are Enormous



Vets for Freedom Members:

Greetings from Baghdad!

I have embedded with fellow American soldiers and am witnessing the dramatic progress first hand. It is a very different Iraq from the one I once patrolled with my unit in 2005.

Unfortunately our congress refuses to acknowledge this progress and this is made evident as
yesterday, Senators Feingold and Reid introduce two bills whose ostensible goal is to force the administration to "re-focus on our top national-security threat - al-Qaeda and its affiliates. The Senate has now debated this over three dozen times since taking over Congress, demonstrating that they have completely lost touch with the reality of what's happening on the ground in Iraq.

I have addressed this issue in my piece in National Review Online.

"If only certain U.S. Senators truly understood the global nature of our vicious enemy in Iraq. ... Given the fact that today we are facing a determined al-Qaeda effort to destabilize Iraq, wouldn't any rational person include Iraq in their list of places where al-Qaeda must be defeated? Not Obama, Feingold, and Reid, who believe "we need to safely [i.e., immediately] redeploy U.S. troops from Iraq." Whatever misgivings these senators may have felt about the invasion of Iraq in the first place, today we are there. And so is al-Qaeda. Any "strategy to combat and defeat al Qaeda globally" must begin there." Read More.

Yesterdays comments made by Senator Reid, claiming that we need to "take care of Americans before Iraqi's" demonstrates how far from reality he has fallen. He continues to recite talking points from radical anti-war liberal front groups such as MoveOn.org and Code Pink on the floor of the U.S. Senate, I am embedded here in Iraq with American soldiers, witnessing first-hand the tremendous success of General Petraeus's ‘surge' strategy. With sectarian killings down 95 percent, suicide bombings down nearly 70 percent, and IED attacks cut nearly in half in the last year in Baghdad, it's about time that defeatists in Congress recognize that we are achieving success in Iraq, and that a safe, secure and free Iraq is critical to our security here at home.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Call these five Senators and let them know that the costs of retreat are enormous so we must complete the mission in Iraq by defeating Al Qaeda.

These senators need to hear from Iraq & Afghanistan veterans, and those who support them about the importance of success in these missions and our national security.

Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) 202-224-6342
Susan Collins (R-ME) 202-224-2523
Norm Coleman (R-MN) 202-224-5641
Harry Reid (D-NV) 202-224-3542
Mitch McConnell (R-KY) (202) 224-2541

Now is the time to keep up the pressure-we are winning in Iraq, and the American people need to know it. Join us in supporting the brave troops in the field who are taking the fight to America's enemies.

Move out and Draw Fire!


Pete Hegseth
Executive Director
Vets for Freedom

Vets for Freedom Reports from Baghdad

Vets for Freedom members:

Tonight I leave for Iraq, where I will be reporting-first hand-on the progress there. I will be in Baghdad at FOB Falcon, the base my infantry platoon called "home" for three months in 2005.

For a week, I will imbed with local infantry units, walking and driving the same streets I saw in 2005.

My goal is to report on the conditions on the ground-militarily, culturally, and politically. I will also keep a close eye on the status of Iraqi Security Forces, as well as how American units are implementing the counterinsurgency doctrine.

I will be writing for National Review Online, and will also post to the Vets for Freedom Troop Blog.
My first piece-marking today's two- year anniversary of the Golden Mosque bombing in Samarra-is already up on NRO. Click here to read it, or see the text below.

General Petraeus and our fellow troops have made incredible progress in Iraq, and this trip is just one small part of trying to get the word out. The main effort-our National Heroes Tour and Vets on the Hill-is still to come...don't miss your chance to be a part of it.

Moving Out to Draw Fire,

Pete Hegseth

Executive Director

Vets for Freedom

National Review Online

Golden Moments

One bombing hastened a widespread rejection of al-Qaeda.

By Pete Hegseth

Two years ago today, the city of Samarra awoke to an enormous "boom," as al-Qaeda gunmen stormed the Al Askariya Shrine and blew up it's revered golden dome. With one barbaric act, the "Golden Mosque" was destroyed, along with its sectarian tradition.

Al-Qaeda perpetrated the bombing - on a universally revered Shiite mosque in a Sunni town - to stoke sectarian hatred and incite reprisals. Their twisted scheme worked; and within hours, violence spread throughout Iraq. On February 22, 2006, an already fragile Iraq burst at the seams.

Shia militias exploited the event to target Sunni mosques, and sic their death squads on Sunni innocents. Al-Qaeda, posing as defenders of Sunnis (and the faith?), retaliated with attacks on Shia groups, killing thousands of innocents with suicide bombers. Full-fledged civil war ensued.

Ill prepared, both strategically and tactically, the American military had no comprehensive plan to stem the violence. The mosque bombing, more than any other event during my time in Iraq, underscored this fact.

I was one of four Americans in the Samarra mayor's office the night of the bombing, as city leaders, elders, and religious leaders gathered to discuss the tragic event. City leaders came prepared to reach out in cooperation, knowing full well that such an egregious offense against Islam - perpetrated by al-Qaeda criminals - could be a unifying event in all-Sunni Samarra.

Caught off guard by this approach, the American leadership in the room stubbornly continued to insist on "finding the bad guys." Oh, the missed opportunity.

In that office, and in the months to come throughout Iraq, unconventional and asymmetrical warfare proved too much for America's conventional "kill and capture" approach. The insurgency used human bombs and chopped off heads, while the American military continued to hunker down on large bases, deploying only for large-scale maneuvers that netted few insurgents.

The violence, and the environment that allowed it, persisted well beyond my time in Baghdad and Samarra, and by early 2007, Iraq was on the brink of total collapse. American casualties were at near-record levels, dozens of disfigured Iraqi bodies appeared on the streets of Baghdad every morning, and substantial political progress - locally and nationally - was almost nonexistent.

Two years later - recalling that time, everything from the terror on people's faces, to the scent in the air - the lessons we learned then are lessons we must remember now, on the second anniversary of the attack.

The bombing of the Golden Mosque brought down the dome of an ancient shrine but, in a twisted way, it also hastened a widespread rejection of al-Qaeda that ultimately led to the lowering of barriers between the U.S. and local leaders, thus providing the building blocks of our current progress in Iraq. The seeds of success are sometimes sown in the darkest moments.

The counterinsurgency strategy we are using with great success in Iraq today should have been implemented from the beginning of the war - or at least by 2006. Doing so would have saved countless American and Iraqi lives.

That said, the Samarra mosque bombing fully exposed the ugly underbelly of al-Qaeda and radical Shia militias to the Iraqi people, providing a frightening glimpse into what a fanatical post-American regime might look like. Saddam was ruthless, but al-Qaeda is soulless.

This post-bombing realization - combined with General Petraeus's counterinsurgency strategy and an additional 30,000 troops - created a dynamic on the ground that changed the war. The Iraqi people stood up against violent extremists, and the Americans were finally able to support them by substantively improving conditions at the street level.

This combination has proved lethal for al-Qaeda, as well as radical Shia elements, namely Moqtada Al Sadr who today extended his ceasefire for another six months, more out of weakness than strategic value - his top lieutenants and militia leaders are dead.

Over the past year, violent attacks throughout Iraq are down over 65 percent, sectarian violence is down over 90 percent, Iraqi security forces are truly taking the lead in operations, and - thank God - American casualties are near all-time lows.

These dramatic security improvements have - as intended - created an environment in which Iraqi political leaders can reconcile. The result: De-Baathification law - passed. Provincial election law - passed. Amnesty law - passed. $50 billion budget - passed. With much more in the pipeline.

More importantly, at the local level, Iraqis have banded together to protect their neighborhoods and start the process of truly rebuilding Iraq. Markets are flourishing, shops have reopened, and in former al-Qaeda strongholds, girls are going back to school.

This is the story of Iraq two years after the Samarra bombing.

2006 was the year of al-Qaeda and civil war, 2007 the year of America's "re-liberation" of Iraq, and 2008 promises to be the year of Iraqi progress. Make no mistake about it, there will be more setbacks - some dramatic - but a continued American commitment in Iraq has incredible potential.

But don't just take my word for it today. For the next ten days I will be back in Iraq to cover these developments firsthand. I will walk the same streets I walked as an infantry platoon leader in 2005, and will report back on National Review Online. Stay tuned.

Pete Hegseth, who served in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division from 2005 to 2006, is executive director of Vets for Freedom.

Tour Gathers Momentum - Progress in Iraq

MOMENTUM GATHERS FOR ‘HEROES TOUR'
AND ‘VETS ON THE HILL'

From The Alamo in Texas to the WWI Memorial in Kansas City, and from the Statehouse in South Carolina to an hour on CNN with Glenn Beck in New York City, the Vets for Freedom National Heroes Tour is taking shape and gathering momentum.

Veterans across the country are helping fill the Tour schedule and get the word out. It promises to be an exciting-and influential-three weeks.
CLICK HERE for more details about Tour stops and to see where you can join us on the road.

Additionally, since announcing "Vets on the Hill" two weeks ago, over 200 veterans of the Global War on Terror have signed up to be in Washington, DC on April 8. We plan to have hundreds more sign up in the coming weeks.

PROGRESS IN IRAQ

Meanwhile, in Iraq, positive developments continue. In fact, this past week, the Iraqi Parliament passed three landmark pieces of legislation-establishing long-overdue local elections, granting amnesty to low-level Iraqi prisoners, and passing a budget of $50 billion.

The political reconciliation that the Surge was meant to facilitate is happening. The Iraqi people are taking advantage of the dramatic security gains to make political compromises.

Even the New York Times had this to say on their front page, "More than any previous legislation, the new initiatives have the potential to spur reconciliation between Sunnis and Shiites and set the country on the road to a more representative government, starting with new provincial elections." Need I say more?

All the objectives of the surge-by any measure-have been achieved: violence has dropped dramatically, the Iraqi civil war is over, Al Qaeda has been decimated, and Iraqi politicians are working for political reconciliation.

It's imperative that we do everything we can to ensure that these gains are solidified, and that we continue to support the judgments of the commanders on the ground. General Petraeus will be in Washington, DC in April, and Vets for Freedom will be there to support him.

Now is the time to keep up the pressure-we are winning in Iraq, and the American people need to know it. Join us in supporting the brave troops in the field who are taking the fight to America's enemies.

Move Out and Draw Fire!

Pete Hegseth

Executive Director
Vets for Freedom

http://www.vetsforfreedom.org/