Democratic Senator Carl Levin acknowledges military gains in Iraq, and acknowledges--hesitatingly-that some political gains have been made, too. Quote: "We are also encouraged by continuing positive results – in al Anbar Province, from the recent decisions of some of the Sunni tribes to turn against al Qaeda and cooperate with coalition force efforts to kill or capture its adherents...”, he said in a joint statement with John Warner. Meawhile, for the first time in years, the French foreign minister visits Iraq, giving all involved a boost.
Meanwhile, U.S. army medics and others pass out over 100 humanitarian aid bags to needy Iraqis. And north of Baghdad, a raid by coalition forces kills 8 terrorist insurgents.
And: "And there are newfound signs of success in the area just north of Salman Pak, along the road known to 3rd Brigade as "Route Wild," between the villages of Wuerdiya and Ja'ara. It all began with a phone call." Details here. And at the end of that piece, this: "People ask me, 'Is the surge working?'," Colonel Wayne Grigsby, 3rd Brigade commander, said to me. "And I say, 'How can it not be?' We're in these areas that no soldiers have been for months and years, we've got al Qaeda , JAM , and JAI discombobulated, and we're showing the people there--people who might not have seen an American soldier in years--a sustained presence, catching bad guys, building checkpoints, and making life safer for them."
"Again, I say, 'How can it not be working?'"
