Yesterday, the U.S.turned primary security operations over to the Iraqis in the western province of Al Anbar. That's the 11th province of 18. More importantly, it's the first Sunni majority province to be turned over.
"Iraqis - like countless other Muslims across the world - witnessed al Qaeda's brutality first-hand and rejected it," said President Bush in a short statement.
Like 'most anything else of such consequence, there are many factors that led to the turnover, a turnover that would have been unthinkable just two years ago--the surge, the change in American tactics, the Anbar Awakening, the death of so many insurgents. Who knows how much secret diplomacy has been going on out of sight of world press? (The Saudis, Jordanians, and Syrians all share borders with Anbar.) It's never one thing but this is certainly a good thing.
So now's a time to celebrate peace in this troubled corner of the desert.
For the life of me, I can't understand why this in not front page of every newspaper in the country. No matter, it's still cause for celebration.
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Well, here's my guess. The fact that it was hardly mentioned in the news is one thing, but the fact that McCain hardly mentioned it could be proof that they're afraid it's still not entirely safe over there. McCain and Bush don't want another Mission Accomplished moment, after all. I would think that if stability continues for a while after the transfer, McCain will start talking about it, and the media will follow.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right on. The Bushies have to be haunted by that Mission Accomplished moment.
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