We are winning?Mission accomplished!

                Has anyone even noticed the definite lack of mention of Iraq by democratic candidates and spokesmen/women recently? Why is that? They were so rabidly vocal that this was a big campaign issues just a few months ago it would seem unusual that they are suddenly mute.

                Perhaps it is because even liberal media is starting to admit that the surge is working and that believe it or not, the Iraqis have taken more of the lead and have also gone about reconciliation within their government between Sunni and Shiite Muslims. 

                Recently President Malachi sent Iraqi forces in to successfully quell violence in Basra, which flared up when British coalition troops turned the city over to them. The Iraqi forces did this with very little assistance from US forces proving they can stand on their own. In addition, president Malachi used Sunni troops to take control of Sadr City, which was a hotbed of Sunni rebellion. This was accomplished in short order and with very little bloodshed. Iraqi forces have begun to route Al-Qaeda insurgents in their last stronghold in Mosul. Both Northern and Southern Iraq zone US military commanders state that violence is down to pre 2004 levels country-wide and that more and more Iraqis are involved in day to day improvement of life in their neighborhoods and are quite frankly tired of the foreign Islamic trouble makers interfering in their daily life and want peace. 

                The Iraqi government leadership has also made great strides in reconciliation between warring ethnic factions, which has led to many cease-fires, and disarmament of private militias. Laws have been passed ensuring reconciliation efforts among the Sunni and Shiite populations and those efforts are being noticed on the streets. Although nothing is put in writing on oil revenue sharing, it is happening anyway without formal agreements for that sharing process. President Malachi has managed to unite previously widely separated cultural factions within Iraq who now believe they are Iraqis vice Sunni or Shiite, which is a historic change of heart.

                Even extreme liberals are coming to the same conclusion that major networks have noticed. The surge and political advances are working and we are on the verge of victory with Moslem extremists and foreign terrorists being driven from many communities in Iraq. The democratic pledge to ?bring the troops home? may have become a moot point? and somehow not as hot a campaign issue as they had hoped it would be. Embarrassed and quite unable to say they were ?wrong? they probably believe it is best to let the subject die quietly rather than have to admit failure on their part. McCain is missing a great moment here??it would be easy for him to remind voters at this point that Obama wanted troops pulled out immediately last March stating that we were losing and failing in Iraq when McCain stated that the surge was the best path. McCain was RIGHT!....Obama was ?WRONG?! Come on John, this is your chance to score some points, rub it in a little, please!   You need to be out there saying, ?I told you so, every day and not let the Demos let this embarrassing former campaign issue and mantra to fade away from public memory.   

Bottom line is we are winning in Iraq and the situation has made a complete turnaround, so why can?t republicans gloat a little over it after taking it on the chin for four years that we were involved in a civil war (not true) and that we were in a quagmire like Vietnam (not true). History has proven the surge and other support as effective in winning this ?peace? and we should be strutting proud in front of our former detractors, defeatists, and naye-sayers. ?Mission Accomplished? (almost that is).

James Gschwind

jimjeankaraoke@att.net