[Dean's World] Dave Price: AP: Iraqi Violence Continues To Decline

[notify at powerblogs.com]

Posted by Dave Price:
AP: Iraqi Violence Continues To Decline
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1193323822.shtml


   [1]Is it a trend now?:

     Despite persistent violence, the Iraqi civilian death count is
     projected to decline for the second consecutive month. At the
     current pace, October would have a death count of fewer than 900,
     down from 1,023 in September and 1,956 in August, according to
     figures compiled by The Associated Press.
     ...
     The American military has reported 30 military deaths so far in
     October, down sharply from last month.

   Why do we now seem to be achieving the success that eluded us for so
   long? VDH, just back from Iraq, [2]has the answer:

     Something is going on in Iraq entirely missed by media. Itâs not
     just that things are turning around, but rather Gen. Petraeus has
     assembled perhaps the most gifted group of Army officers seen in a
     generationâwho feel they are going to snatch victory from the jaws
     of political defeat.

   This self-criticism and resultant reorganization of the military to
   achieve success is a pretty common theme for democracies, and
   particularly America. Lincoln went through quite a few generals before
   finding ones that could win the Civil War (and very nearly lost his
   Presidency to one he fired who then ran against him on an anti-war
   platform), we needed Ridgway to salvage S Korea, and of course the
   original democrats in Greece made a tradition of executing, exiling
   and censoring their generals in wartime, often even when victorious.
   And Iraq's new democrats are themselves are undertaking aggressive
   efforts to [3]reconcile...

     The helicopter trip was brief. But the journey also crossed
     something huge and ugly: Iraq's bloody sectarian divisions.
     Aboard the 70-mile flight from Baghdad to Ramadi was a top Pentagon
     envoy and a leader of Iraq's biggest Shiite political party. They
     were paying a visit to Sunni sheiks who have joined the U.S. battle
     against extremists.
     The meeting Sunday was part of budding contacts between Iraq's
     rival Muslim groups that has shown promise where the nation's
     political leadership has stalled: trying to find common ground
     among Shiites and Sunnis.

   ...some of them quite [4]inventive:

     Iraq is offering a cash bonus to married Iraqi couples from
     different sectarian groups in a drive to heal rifts between
     communities and foster reconciliation.

References

   1. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/iraq;_ylt=AvfGyvSEnyoAUAkkmAAbfPBX6GMA
   2. http://victordavishanson.pajamasmedia.com/2007/10/20/the_current_scene.php
   3. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gtPQMRJhyQv0kKwkj9NEqDcqqYBgD8SB6T783
   4. http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUSKAM248374