The Surge May Be Working

By David Aikman
TOWNHALL.COM

Four months after the U.S. announced a surge of troop reinforcements into Baghdad and other Iraqi cities previously given up for lost by the Iraqi government and the U.S., there is evidence of success.

Though there is still plenty of violence in the Iraqi capital and throughout the country, it is considerably less than before the surge began. More important, in neighborhoods where the new U.S. policy of entering and staying has taken place, more stores are being opened and once-feared militants have gone to ground.

Iraq is not going to be pacified overnight and there is great danger of a slide back to the deterioration of previous months if the momentum is not maintained. In the U.S., congressional Democrats continue their push for an end to military funding in Iraq. But it is the opponents of the surge policy who should now be on the defensive about Iraq, not the advocates.