WIN THE WAR

Dear friends,

Our soldiers are turning defeat and disaster into victory and hope. But we could still fumble—if the American people don’t hear the truth now. There remain serious perils in Iraq and this is a time for action.

To get the message out, please help me get Moment of Truth in Iraq stocked in bookstores, and especially in free libraries and military exchanges.

Here’s how: Please click on “Handout for Bookstores and Libraries” below. This will open a printable one-page handout that can be given to any local bookstore manager, librarian, or military exchange. (Or all three if you can.)

The handout will tell bookstores and libraries everything they need to order Moment of Truth in Iraq. But what will really motivate retailers and librarians is you, the reader, a member of their community, requesting the book.

So please click here and ask your bookstore, library, or military exchange to please stock Moment of Truth in Iraq today.

Moment of Truth in Iraq is available on Amazon.com. We have hit the Amazon top 50 before the book even hit stores or libraries.

Thank you for your help,

Michael

Michael J. Totten, an embedded reporter for years, has written a fantastic piece on the history of Fallujah, the fomer headquarters of the insurgency and now a relatively tame town with a set of big challenges but also much hope.

(In an Iraqi children's drawing, American might slays the monstrous insurgency.)

And if you're ravenous for more - as I always am after reading Totten's very engaging work - read the latest article on his blog about the process of rebuilding a nation.

Per several anonymous defense and intelligence sources responding to the hearings currently being held by the House Armed Services Committee:

"[R]eal political and military constraints on U.S. actions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border would not be solved by throwing into the fray masses of soldiers hypothetically freed up by an Iraq pullout.

Among other things, they note, the militant Islamic resurgence is largely taking place in Pakistan.

"Some of the reasons for this progress are better known than others. The surge, the Awakening Councils and the neighborhood-based counterinsurgency program have received solid credit.

"But the condign effects of the Iraqis' own Baghdad Services Committee and Popular Mobilization Committee have garnered little attention outside Iraq, perhaps because they are led by Ahmed Chalabi, the returned exile who is far more controversial abroad than at home. Yet these days the committees' weekly government-level meetings are attended by ministers and American and Iraqi generals from David Petraeus on down.

"Meanwhile, the PMC takes Shiite leaders into Sunni areas and vice-versa. "We just did two reconciliation meetings where hostile tribal chieftains invited each other just because they heard we were coming," Mr. Chalabi told me.

"Through the PMC, Sunni mosques are returned to Sunnis. Intersectarian prayers are held. The PMC also monitors the prisons, and provides legal help to citizens, as requested by the local committees. To avoid favoritism and the appearance of patronage, "we decided that whoever does the most work gets to lead the committees," says Mr. Chalabi. As a result, even the most hostile sectarian areas welcome his efforts as practical rather than political, and above all as efficacious."

Read the whole Wall Street Journal article here.

Today's editorial "Countering Iran" concludes:

It nevertheless is inevitable that Iran's proxies in Iraq, Gaza and Lebanon will have to be countered in part by military force, while diplomatic and economic pressure aimed at stopping Tehran's nuclear program is stepped up. Some observers interpreted the report of Gen. Petraeus and Mr. Crocker as calculated to provide yet another excuse for keeping U.S. forces in Iraq. In fact, these two seasoned professionals were pointing at a growing menace that the Bush administration, and its successor, cannot afford to ignore.

As Herschel Smith of Captain's Journal puts it, we have miles to go before we sleep.  But look at what has occurred already:

Whether it was an incremental success or a humiliating fizzle, hasn’t the Maliki government’s assault on Sadr-linked Shiite militias operated, de facto, as a highly efficient purge of the Iraqi army? [T]hose who heeded calls for defection or who otherwise refused to fight have been fired. … P.S.: Meanwhile, some 10,000 militia members who did fight on the government’s side have reportedly been inducted into the security forces.

Very interesting report by Michael Gordon of the New York Times on how the Iraqi 11th Army Division, one of the newest units in the new Iraqi military, is performing against militias in the slums of Sadr City.

"Sergeant Lewis said the performance of the Iraqi troops had improved noticeably during the Sadr City fight, but added that they also had a long way to go.

“'They have their experienced guys,' he said. 'But there are more new guys than experienced guys. The experienced guys are the ones in the higher ranks, the officers and senior enlisted guys. Down at the lower levels, like squad leader, platoon leader or team leader, there are not very many experienced guys to lead them in the right direction. That is where the problem lies right there.'"

A site in Iran has been photographed by satellite where missiles are being built with a 6,000 kilometer range. 

Ever since the new strategy started showing signs of succeeding in the spring of 2007, I've thought that the question should not be whether we should keep fighting but how much harder we should fight.  Unfortunately, we have never had public discussion of that question.  But here is why we should:

1. It will shift the debate to how best to win and away from whether we can win.

2. It will reduce the amount of time we need to keep large numbers of soldiers in Iraq.  The faster we win, the sooner we can bring back most of the troops. 

Michael Yon presents his own strong arguments in the Wall Street Journal.

Two New York Times reporters, John Burns, who reported on Iraq for five years, and Dexter Filkins, who reported on Iraq for three years, appeared on the Charlie Rose Show to talk about how much Iraq has improved in the last two years.  It is a very encouraging discussion, with many fascinating anecdotes.

The great and revered religious leader in Iraq stated, according to Bill Roggio at Long War Journal, that "the law is the only authority in the country." 

Sadr continues to be pushed - and to push himself - to the margins.

Withdrawal in Iraq Should be Defined in Stages

Short term, Timetable of troop withdrawal, order of retreat, and plan of abandonment for allies and security forces.

Medium term, Strategy to deal with invigorated Al-Qaida and Iran and their plans for dominating the region including Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and yes, of course, Israel. If this includes invading Pakistan please include the minor issue of not only attacking an ally, but one possessing nuclear weapons.

Longer term, Address the eventuality of a terrorist state obtaining nuclear weapons and its impact upon global security and stability. Please also address human rights issues (especially women and homosexuals) of the region abandoned to an assuredly Taliban type regime.

As reported by the Washington Times,

The Iraqi air force, struggling back to life after being decimated in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, played a key role in battles against rebel militiamen in Basra last week, boosting morale among Iraqi troops and providing hope for the country's future, its top commander told The Washington Times. 

"You want to know who wants you to come home more than anybody? Al Qaeda because you''re kicking their ass."

(More here on the Vets on the Hill event at the Capitol yesterday.)

Honor the sacrifices of our troops, living, wounded, and dead.

Honor the sacrifices of their families.

Honor the Iraqis who have risked their lives and all they love for their country.

Honor the sacrifices of civilians who help rebuild Iraq.

Honor those who stood firm against political winds.

Honor bravery, daring, perseverance, innovation, prudence, boldness... leadership.

Honor America, a country that removes other nations from tyranny, and fights alongside them against an infamous enemy.

Here is the national anthem of each country.

They've just concluded a $5.5 billion deal with Boeing for civilian aircraft, and they are hoping to start flying European routes within a period of months.  More here from the AP.

Baghdad, Mar 31– Some 210 gunmen were killed, 600 others wounded and 155 captured since the beginning of Operation Saulat al-Forsan (Knights’ Assault) in the province of Basra last week, the Iraqi interior ministry said on Monday.

*****

“Security agencies seized a large amount of weapons including developed explosive charges, and dismantled three car bombs and 80 improvised explosive devices (IEDs),” said Khalaf.  (Hat tip to Pat Dollard)

Or, as Bill Roggio reported, all in all across Iraq, 571 Mahdi Army fighters were killed, 881 wounded, and 490 captured.

You'd almost think that the New York Times would put that in a headline on its front page, wouldn't you?

The common answer to why withdrawal won't hurt Iraq is, "The Iraqis are free riding on American forces.  They won't provide for their own security until we leave.  We have to leave to force them to stand up for themselves."

It would very, very nice if this were true.  If it were, I'd be the loudest proponent of withdrawal.  But it goes against all the experience we have had thus far in Iraq.

For more than three years, American forces did not provide adequate security in Iraq.  At night, we stayed in heavily fortified bases.  During the day, we patrolled in vehicles.  We could not protect Iraqis from terrorism, extremist militias, or even ordinary criminals.  How could law-abiding, peace-seeking Iraqis stand up for themselves if they knew that doing so would probably get them killed (and their families, too)?

No, it was the new strategy and the "surge" which created the security that allowed Iraqis to start standing up for themselves.  They forged new alliances to resist the extremists.  They enlisted by the tens of thousands in the Iraqi Army.  They even began solving large political problems (de-Baathification, budget, municipal elections, etc.).

But we are still early in that process.  It has only been about 15 months since we began implementing the new strategy, and only about 10 months since we fully implemented it.  It takes a lot more time to form a capable new army, to work through all the big political issues, to lay the groundwork for a free market economy.

What is amazing is how far Iraq has come since the beginning of 2007.  Imagine how much further along Iraq will be if things continue along the same trajectory for another few years.

The question that opponents of the war effort have to answer is: Will Iraq's problems become better or worse if we pull our troops out?  Few who have spent any time in Iraq doubt that an American withdrawal would trigger chaos that would make the recent fighting in Basra look like a picnic. That would be not only a terrible stain on our honor (we might be indirectly responsible for genocide) but a significant strategic setback because it could destabilize the entire region.

Victory -- defined as a democratic state that does not oppress its own people, provide a haven for terrorists, proliferate weapons of mass destruction or threaten its neighbors -- remains eminently achievable if we listen to the best advice of Petraeus and Crocker and resist the urge to pull our troops out too fast. If we ignore their warnings and head for the exits, we are assured of the worst military defeat in U.S. history and a major victory for Shiite and Sunni extremists who will continue to attack us in the future.

(from Max Boot's latest column in the L.A. Times)