Troop Surge Bearing Fruit

A number of very positive developments are occurring under General David Petraeus’ command in Iraq.

The troop surge is beginning to bear fruit.

In an interview reported in today’s New York Post, Gen. Petraeus said tactical units are being flooded with intelligence information from local Iraqis. "After our guys are in the neighborhood for four or five days,” the General said, “the people realize they're not going to just leave them like we did in the past. Then they begin to come in with so much information on the enemy that we can't process it fast enough."

Gen. Petraeus also said the sheiks in Sunni al Anbar Province “have had enough” with al Qaeda fighters. In addition to killing civilians, al Qaeda has prevented the sheiks from carrying on business. These Iraqi businessmen have aligned themselves with new government and have encouraged young Iraqis to join the police force en masse.

According to Petraeus, "Less than half the al Qaeda leaders who were in Baghdad when this [surge] campaign began are still in the city. They have fled or are being killed or captured. We are attriting them at a fearsome rate."

This is just some of the very good news. The whole article deserves a read.