IRAQ: A (very) good sign

There are signs throughout Anbar province that the Marines are winning the struggle against the insurgency: the "rebirth" of Fallouja; strong alliances with Sunni tribal sheiks; improvements in the Iraqi army; Iraqis willing to shake off three decades of centralized control under Saddam Hussein.

But there are disquieting signs as well: an uptick in the number of suicide bombers, some in their teens; the questionable honesty of some police units; the balkiness of the provincial and central governments; an unemployment rate well into the double digits.

Amid these conflicting signs is a sign outside the base trauma hospital at Camp Fallouja. During the fights in Fallouja in 2004, the hospital saw a flood of wounded Marines and soldiers. Just 15 months ago — during my last visit — three Marines wounded by an insurgent sniper were rushed here in a futile attempt to save their lives.

But now things are different. The Camp Pendleton-based 3rd battalion, 5th regiment, has done 7,000 patrols in Fallouja and its environs in the last five months without suffering a fatality or an injury that required the Marine to be evacuated out of Iraq.

Where once the doctors and corpsmen at the hospital dealt with gunshot wounds and blast injuries from roadside bombs, now their daily fare is more likely to be turned ankles and indigestion.

Which leads to the very good sign outside Fallouja Surgical.

— Tony Perry at Camp Fallouja

Photo: Tony Perry / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Joe Porchnik]

Those 100 bodies they found in a mass grave today don't need blood either.

[Jeff]

Americans need to be patient, which I know is difficult b/c the Iraq issue is so divisive. It appears that the situation is improving over there for both the Iraqi people and our Marines...considering how bad things were 2 years ago. I don't always agree with Bush and his stubborn ways, but I applaud his resolve and decision to maintain the surge, which appears to be having real and positive effects. Continue to support our troops, the Iraqi people, let's make sure we get the job done so the image of America is one of resolve, determination, hard work, and sacrifice for the improvement of the lives of all people.

[DS]

Good news is no news. Unless it's an election year, and republicans are facing payback for mismanagement of the country. By November we'll have heard so much good news about Iraq, we'll want to go live there. For one pallet of crisp new hundreds, I'll go. Oh, wait, I'm not a crony,don't even play golf, guess not. Conservatives don't need to go to Iraq to find people that hate them. I'm right here. .

[cbk]

Good thing President Bush did not listen to the Democrats, and he followed though with the surge. Without the surge a lot more Americans and Iraqi's would have died. Hopefully the democrats will not have their way this November, or there will be a lot more death in Iraq.