IRAQ - HAVE WE TURNED THE CORNER ?-THE SUNDAY COMMENTARY

As has been the case for quite some time Iraq is front and center in the news. But an amazing thing is taking place despite the usual rhetoric from the left and some of the media. NBC's Brian Williams recently reported from Iraq during the Nightly News broadcast and more extensive reports on Dateline NBC the evening news magazine show. Williams reported that the , "surge, " the name given the recent troop increase by President Bush, was working.

The shocking aspect of this one simple admission by Williams is that it comes in the midst of a concerted effort by the Main Stream Press and the left to portray anything from Iraq as a total failure and report only bombings, violence and body counts. Also this report aired as Democrats were preparing the latest in a long line of Democrat legislation to pull out of Iraq claiming that the new strategy which has just begun was a failure.

So the question arises, if Williams reported this success, have we then actually turned the corner toward the end game and final victory in Iraq ? Personally this writer understands that there is far more evidence of success in Iraq than failure and that Iraq has come far from the days of Saddam Hussein with ample progress to prove its success. But for the sake of argument let's say Iraq has been a total failure and now the new strategy is turning that around.

General David Petraeus recently appointed commander of multi-national forces in Iraq stated last week that along with the military intervention there must be a successful political solution to the situation in Iraq. To this the MSM and the left misrepresenting the Generals statement immediately followed by claiming even the commanding General admits that the military avenue is failing.

Petraeus was simply stating fact that this as in any war cannot be successful simply by the use of the military but must work in conjunction with a political solution especially in the Iraq situation where an infant government is growing from the diaper stage to that of a toddler.

While the Maliki government has not been exactly flamboyant in its handling of Iraq it is imperative to remember that it IS the duly elected government by the people of Iraq and we as the adult advisor for an infant government do not have the luxury of removing the child since it is the people's choice but to help nurture it through the growing stages of life. As with any infant there are pains in growing and this government is no exception.

During and immediately after our own Revolution our infant government went through several changes that were extremely painful and nearly saw the collapse of the fledgling nation. Our first attempt at organized government under the Articles of Confederation which depended on the combined will of each state was a total failure. After the British surrendered in 1781 the nation suffered through tremendous economic depression, anarchy and even rebellious insurgency which almost ended this , "Grand Experiment." It was not until 1787 with the establishment of the Constitution and then its ratification in 1788 the we began the slow march to full success.

George Washington became the first President in 1789 fully eight years after the surrender of the British and 13 years after Independence was declared giving birth to a new nation. Iraq's government is but FIVE YEARS old and for the first time in the history of this ancient nation which reaches back to ancient Babylon, a free Democracy has risen with all of the growing pains of not only a new nation but a nation that has never experienced this form of government before.

As with any new nation there are many who will fight to prevent change opting to kill rather than accept the new. The insurgency that is taking place is just that, a refusal by many to accept the new and the will of the people. While the factions who fight have rivalries that can be traced for centuries, the root of the trouble is the refusal to accept a Democratic form of government which balances power among all people and does not favor just one faction or group. With Saddam and before Iraq was ruled by the stronger faction whether Shiite or Sunni and now they are by the will of the people seeking a balance in government between the two.

It also now appears through much evidence that the violence associated with the insurgency is decreasing, because of the troop increase and change in strategy allowing troops to operate more freely in areas deemed untouchable before. Muqtada al-Sadr has fled to Iran to avoid possible capture under the new plan. Areas especially around Baghdad are now seeing less violence and a semblance of peace and stability that has not been the case prior to this strategy. Also Al Qaeda has decreased in its attacks with additional capture of higher ranking leaders and the further elimination of terrorist fighters.

Iraq is far from a total success but it is also very far from the complete failure that has been portrayed by the press and the left. Our presence there is a necessary element to insure the completion of the transition from tyrannical government to that of a Democracy. Our troops are successfully training Iraqi Security Forces so that one day soon Iraq will stand and defend her own government with a force trained to handle insurgency, terrorism and rebellion. Pulling out before the government and forces are prepared to handle the situation will only insure the collapse of the freely elected government of the people and the return to a dictatorial regime with Al Qaeda freely operating in the country using it as a operational base.

Ken Taylor