Mustering Patience
This is a downright surprise. The Chicago Tribune has just published an editorial counseling patience on the Iraq war. They note signs of real progress in Anbar province that warrant patience on the part of Americans.
Al Qaeda's terrorists in Iraq now face a new enemy: Sunni tribesmen in Anbar Province. These tribal leaders in the heart of the insurgency are now backing coalition and Iraqi forces against the terrorists.
You want good news from Iraq? There it is, in flashing neon.
These Anbar leaders aren't just jawing. Thousands of Sunnis have rushed to join local police forces, with tribal leaders' encouragement. "The progress has inspired an optimism in the American command that, among some officials, borders on giddiness," The New York Times reported. "There are some people who would say we've won the war out here," one Marine officer said.
That's a phrase you don't hear often in Iraq.
While the Sunni tribal leaders probably haven't developed a sudden fondness for U.S. forces, they have apparently developed a deep disgust for the Al Qaeda agenda. The Sunnis don't want what Al Qaeda is peddling: a soul-crushing fundamentalist Islamic dictatorship.
About a year ago, Army Col. Sean MacFarland began exploiting that split. He defied conventional wisdom by negotiating with a group of Sunni sheiks to fight Al Qaeda, according to USA Today. He built small, more vulnerable combat outposts in Ramadi's most dangerous neighborhood to expel insurgents and provide security. "I was going the wrong way down a one-way street," MacFarland told the newspaper.
Turns out it was the right way. Violence is down in Ramadi and the surrounding province. MacFarland's alliance has ultimately expanded to include more than 200 sheiks, the paper reported. The tribes started attacking Al Qaeda leaders on U.S. target lists.
This is pretty strong coming from the Chicago Tribune. Even though the Tribune has sent clear warnings to the Democratic leadership that they have gone too far to the left, I honestly am surprised to see this kind of a turnaround in coverage by a major newspaper. (Expect the screeching from the left to reach threshold of pain levels.) The paper again warns that timetables are a very bad idea, too.
By Roy Lofquist, Wednesday, 9 May , 2007 @ 8:30 pm
Dear Sir,
This is not the first instance of the MSM firing a shot across the bow of the Democratic ship. The WAPO, LAT and even NYT have offered stern rebukes to the leftward turn that they see.
These institutions have a bias. The management and reporters have matured under the dominance of the Democrats. They evolved relations and contacts with the party in power. These are their friends and they have supported them.
However, they are still strong, principled, professional people. They are not going to jump the shark. The Dems are playing with fire.
Regards,
Roy