Anbar Turned Over to Iraqi Control
One of the most volatile and violent regions of Iraq, Anbar province, has been turned over to the control of the Iraqi government. For the first time in many years, the Iraqi government is able to establish its authority over this dangerous region.
The reason; the success of the surge. Before the surge was cooked up by George W. Bush and a few others who agreed with his vision for Iraq, Anbar seemed hopeless.
But then the surge started; extra U.S. troops were sent to the most violent regions of Iraq. Al Qaeda in Iraq and other terrorist organizations suddenly had trouble carrying out their deadly attacks, let alone rally Iraqis for their cause. Instead, public opinion turned against them; the average Iraqi saw that when the U.S. was able to establish peace and order in a region, it was handed over to the Iraqi central government, after which the region flourished.
Regions controlled by terrorists, on the other hand, were chaotic, unsafe, and terrible to live in.
Iraqis noticed this as well, and decided to work with their own government and the U.S. Suddenly extremists became an endangered species.
As it happened in many other parts of the country, so it happened in Anbar province. This dangerous province is dangerous no more - relatively that is. The Iraqi government has now established its authority over it, and should be able - if all goes well - to rebuild this region, improving the lives of those living there.
Victory in Anbar, because that is what it is, seemed impossible only a year ago. The surge, however, changed everything. It changed the balance of power, and it changed the way Iraqis thought about both the U.S. and their own government. More than anything else, though, it severely weakened sectarian extremists, bend on dividing Iraq along sectarian lines.
For this, George W. Bush deserves respect. He deserves even more respect when one keeps the revelations published by the New York Times recently in mind; most advisers to Bush opposed the surge. Only he and a few others, like Generals Odierno and Petraeus, thought it would work. Nevertheless, the man who is often accused of not being able to learn from his mistakes pushed through his plan and, for now, it has worked out rather well.
Bush made a lot of mistakes during his presidency, but he also did some good things; the surge is one of those good, nay great, decisions made by this American president. And he made this decision when the entire world was against him; even within the White House itself.
