the13thfloor

In this commentary William Shawcross: Deny Islamists reward in Iraq Opinion The Australian acknowledges the problems in Iraq and the hurdles that need to be overcome. What stuck me was his statement Al-Qa'ida and the Shi'ite terrorists hope to inflict defeat on Republicans in US elections in November that will weaken American commitment to the future of Iraq and thus strengthen Islamism throughout the world. As Salih said, for the West's sake as well as that of Iraq, we need to be "realistic, not defeatist". Unfortunately, the media still is trying to suppress the Republican base including Fox news with biased poll numbers and talk of 25 seats in the house. Americans need to understand it was a long haul to success in Iraq. Shawcross continues: Like everyone who loves Iraq, he is worried about it. But he is not panicked. He points out that it took the British army four years to get its tactics right in Malaya, then another seven years to defeat the insurgency there. Similarly, in Oman there was a learning curve in the 1970s. "The US Army and the marines have transformed themselves in the last two years," he says. "They set up their own counter-insurgency school and all officers down to platoon level pass through it. It is a far more effective force than it was in 2003." The Iraqi Army has improved as well. "In January 2005 there were only four battalions which were any good," Anderson says. "Now we can think in terms of several divisions that can be relied upon. Of course none of this will be submitted to the American public through the MSM.