We are Winning This War

Wars have low points. 2006 was undoubtedly the low point for the west (or at least that part of the west actually fighting- US, Britain, Canada, Australia....). Iraq had descended into civil war, Israeli had been defeated in Lebanon, the al qaida supported Islamic Courts Union had seized control of Somalia and was threatening Ethiopia. Even events which should have been positive had a negative connotation; Iraq's execution of Saddam Hussein was a botched, creepy affair.

But at the end of that awful year, the tide began to turn. It started in Somalia, where the Ethiopian Army, supported by US Special Forces and CIA paramilitary units, annihilated the ICU and occupied the country inside of a month. At the same time, President Bush began the controversial surge, and emergency reinforcement of six combat brigades, all of which were sent to Baghdad. Slowly, US and Iraqi forces secured the capital and its outlying belt regions. More importantly, the Sunni's of Anbar turned on al Qaida, sending their sons to battle the Islamist terrorists and providing valuable intelligence to the United States.

The beginning of the end in Iraq was in March of 2008, when the Iraqi army went into Basra to do battle with the militia of Moqada al-Sadr. The initial offensive was stalled, but with American help, the Iraqi Army stuck it out, and killed hundreds of militia inside the city. There was a general upraising of al Sadr's followers throughout Iraq, which was crushed by Iraqi and American forces. By mid-April al Sadr had fled to Iran and was suing for peace. It was the great turning point in the battle for Iraq, akin to the fall of Atlanta and Sherman's march.

2009 has seen more progress. While the ICU's succesor, the Shabaab, is bathing Somalia in blood, it is at least in no condition to invade Ethiopia. Israel humiliated Hamas during Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip. The Pakistani Army, long on the sidelines, has finally decided to battle the Taliban on that country's Northwest frontier. General David Petraeus, architect of the surge, is now running Central Command. An additional six combat brigades are being sent to Afghanistan.

Now what to do about Iran....

Will's novel, A Line Through the Desert: The First Gulf War may be purchased at Amazon.