The Bottomline Upfront on Iraq: Progress!

February 12, 2008: U.S. Army Staff Sgt. William Lambert, 30, of Plainview, Ark, shows photographs of his children to Iraqi children in Beijia, south of Baghdad. By Maya Alleruzzo, AP

Amy Proctor:

Call From Baghdad: Iraqis Rejecting Al-Qaeda

My husband, MSG Proctor, called me from Baghdad this afternoon. He’s excited about his mission with Multi-National Force-Iraq and they’re accomplishing a lot.

I was glad to hear him say that the biggest change he noticed since he was there for a year in 2003-04 was that Iraqis are overwhelmingly rejecting al-Qaeda and the insurgency. Muslim clerics are now preaching against acts of terrorism from the mosques, whereas they used to preach against Coalition Forces. They condemn the recent al-Qaeda suicide attacks using 2 mentally retarded women from their pulpits and openly call al-Qaeda and groups like them “taqfari” or false Muslims, a very important distinction in Islam. Al-Qaeda’s disgusting tactics continue to backfire on them, and backfire BIG.

He says Iraqis have profoundly turned against al-Qaeda and terrorism. They want their country to function and be unified more than ever. He also said this endeavor will take longer than the rest of the Bush presidency and it’s crucial to VOTE REPUBLICAN. We cannot afford a Democrat in the White House if we want Iraq to continue on the road to freedom and self-sustenance.

Amy also blogs foreign fighters in Iraq are down by 50% (I guess one reason why they are down to recruiting children). And in light of the recent passage of 3 new laws by the Iraqi Parliament, Nancy Pelosi might learn a thing or twelve:

POLITICAL PROGRESS in IRAQ:

GEN Petraeus told Wolf Blitzer on Jan 27, 2008 that the Iraqi government:

• Passed a pensions law that extends pension rights to tens of thousands of individuals who were left out in earlier arrangement several years ago.
• they passed the Iraqi flag law in the council of representatives. Now, you might think that's purely symbolic. It's not. It has been a contentious issue for several years. The current flag does not fly in portions of the Kurdish regional government are in Iraq. And so this is an important step forward.
• The de-Baathification reform bill, so-called accountability and justice law, has passed
• The 2008 budget is being debated right now in the council of representatives, and it distributes oil revenues in a way that is in line with the oil revenue-sharing bill that could be debated later in the year
• So, again, all of a sudden, it's as if there's a new dynamism in the council of representatives.

Not only that, but the Iraqi Parliament has been more effective than the U.S. Congress:

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs compares Bills Signed Into Law:

• Democratic Congress – 48
• Iraqi Parliament – 53

Progress Report on Iraqi Parliament

Reconciliation Continues…

Reconstruction progress via the US Army Corps of Engineers

Desperate Al-Qaeda Resorts to Using Retarded Women in Attacks

Al-Qaeda Car Bombs Decrease Dramatically in Iraq

Iraqi Officer Challenges Media Misinformation about Coalition Forces

U.S. To Transfer Authority of Anbar Province Back to Iraq

Soldiers Celebrate Safest Christmas Ever in Iraq

Sunni, Shia March Together in Baghdad for Peace

Inflation Drops 90% In Iraq (and other good news)

• Year-to-date inflation as of October 2007 is 4.2%, compared to year-to-date inflation through October 2006 of 42.7%
• The continued appreciation of the Iraqi dinar went from 1,475 dinars per U.S. dollar in late 2006 to 1,218 dinars per U.S. dollar currently.
• Electrical output/production is up 14% from this time last year.
• The postwar electricity production record for one day (123,000 MWh) was broken on October 12, 2007 with the production of 125,000 MWh.
• Violence and casualties are down
• Security is up
• Sectarian deaths have plummeted
• In NOV 2006 there were 6 Iraqi Division Headquarters, 30 Brigade Headquarters and 91 Battalions.
• In NOV 2007 there are 10 Division Headquarters, 34 Brigade Headquarters and 108 Battalions.

And of course, Hillary would like to take credit, on behalf of Democrats, for all of this "no success" happening. I suppose "if it's not covered by MSM", then it's not happening.

Cross-posted at Flopping Aces

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