According to the Washington Post editorial, “See No Good…Why do the Democratic candidates refuse to acknowledge progress in Iraq?” dated 8 January, 2008, “it’s indisputable that the surge had dramatically reduced violence.” The editorial refers to the surge of troops, effective early last year, requested by General Petraeus, Commanding General, Multi-National Force – Iraq.
How the Post could unequivocally state that the surge has reduced violence I don’t know. There are way too many factors in the Iraqi political, military, ethnic, religious, and social scenes to be able to state “indisputably” that the “surge” has reduced violence. Let’s have a longer look at the facts on the ground and let a bit more time pass before we make that assertion.