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Is U.S. now winning war in Iraq?

Winning in a venture we never should have entered into in the first place does not equal a justification for entering into it.

Obama will take office, take credit, and Bush will be remembered as a bad president.

Awesome, awesome, awesome. I'm glad that the iraqi people finally stepped up their responsibility to democracy and freedom by cooperating with the US troops. Gen. Petreaus, you are the man. I'd love to vote for you instead of the two clowns that we have as candidates. You seem to grasp the reality that real problems need real answers and that fixing problems takes a concerted, concentrated effort by ALL!

To the next president: Please don't withdraw too early (to please the American public who want a quick fix) and destroy this fragile peace that so many have sacrificed for (Iraqis and Americans). BUT stay only as long as necessary. Let the Iraqis take control as soon as they can.

To the troops: thank you! thank you, thank you. Great job, come home safe. You are the real heroes here.

At this point I want to proudly proclaim that not only have I always been proud to be an American, but that I have stood by and believed in the actions that our president has taken. Whatever mistakes that have been made are now in the past. We have somehow gone into an extremely violent country and in the matter of over 5 years, achieved something with one of the fewest amount of casualties ever produced in a war.

I know that other bloggers will attack my view and my opinion but I love that America takes pride in helping other nations to keep the peace that they often can't obtain. Had we done what so many liberals have always wanted to do, Saddam would probably still be alive and Iraqis in general would still be living in fear.

I have always tried to do what I can for those in need, and I embrace the fact that my country has done the same thing, no matter how unpopular it was to achieve.

First - to call what is happening in Iraq a "war" is being disingenuous. Second - there are many experts and good reason to expect that violence was going to subside with -- or without US troops in the country. By the time the "surge" started the country had already been largely ethnically separated and cleansed, coupled with the payments by US taxpayers to local strongmen (no different than payment of bribes and protection money), as well as cease fires that were called by some local militias etc. make this a very complex situation that honest observers can not label with the simplistic brush strokes the story evokes. The "surge" may or may not have actually had any effect on this massive country with millions of people. It was more likely the case of a few dozen more firefighters showing up a million acre forest fire after a day or two of rain and claiming it was the added dozen fire fighters who actually put the fire out. The combination of facts on the ground indicate it was more likely the "rain" that put the fire out than the dozen additional fire fighters.

Stay the course. Listen to the generals on site. Listen to most of the soldiers coming back. THANK YOU TO THE FAMILIES who have had to lay their sons and daughters on the alter of freedom for us all. Words are not enough. Where are those who said it could not happen like BHO. It could have been a diaster but it is improving from the edge of the abyss. Now let's elect dem lite ( Mc Cain ) instead of dem left ( BHO ). What will he say now? He took his position and he was wrong like so many other positions he has taken. Enough said. Thank you for the USA and may God Bless America.

While every American citizen can only welcome peace as good news I can't help but remember, "Mission Accomplished!"

Bring our Troops home please.

It's great to see the tide finally turning in Iraq. It's great to know that our troops, along with the Iraqis are much safer now. It's great to know troop morale is going up and that the focus is turning more and more from Iraq to Afghanistan. (Where it should have always been)

The only problem is, why didn't we have a surge back in 2004 or 2005? Why did we spin our wheels for four years?

Suppose we had a surge in 2005. Iraq might be an even better place now, and we might have Osama Bin Laden in our hands as well.

Of course, we'll never know, but it's an interesting thought.

John, when there has been seven years of constant fighting, and then, at within weeks of adding more than 20,000 troops, things calm down, you can't just blow it off as inevitable. Give credit where credit is due. The generals who went in were idiots. Petraus (or however you spell his name) had some good ideas that made a dramatic, and immediate impact. It's about time! Hopefully it will last...

To GeeBee, John and anonymous, I feel sorry that you hate Bush so much that you can find nothing but pessimism and negatives in an article that everyone should find hopeful and promising. You guys are DEFINITELY Obama folks. Enjoy your miserable existence.

Almost true except for what the future holds and who is the winner is.
The winner is IRAN. They are not controlling the future of IRAK. They control the goverment and the main militias.
Those that had most to loose (the SUNNIS) found an opportunity to get stronger. They decided to change strategy. The cooperated with the US in exchange for MONEY, GUNS and warfare TRAINING!
AL SADR who wowed to be the true nationalistic IRAKI
(never went to IRAN, never flew away from the country) also changed strategy because he risks a serious beating by pro Iranien militias supported by pro Iranian goverment who want to get rid of him as a rival.
For both Sunny and Maddy army it is time to regroup. By ceasing insurgency, they will reduce volence and therefore hasten the return of the US troup. And when America will be out, they will be between themselves...

Life is different in Bagdad, Shias leave with Shias, Sunny with Sunnys-- thanks to ethnic cleasing and walls of shame. Christians are persecuted. Millions of Irakis have left the country as refugees, Women have lost their rights and the Islamic law is spreading accross the country.

As a soldier in Iraq right now, I can tell you that what I read daily in the news is still a lot different than the story here. We were succeeding 2 years ago when I was here last, and we are succeeding now as I see upon my return. I wish you could see and talk to the locals on the street. And to GeeBee, why don't you find an Iraqi in SLC and ask them if it was a mistake to invade. Unless you have spoken to an Iraqi, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!

mmmm.... can you leftists please get over the "Bush lied" propaganda? Once the fight starts you don't start debate the reasons why it started... you punch someone in the mouth.
This is one battle in the war on terror .. now if we can win the battle against the enemies within then we're good to go....

Does anyone really believe this crap? The terrorist have done what the US should have done a few years ago, they have backed off to regroup, resupply, and reestablish themselves in anothter counrty. As long as the american people pump billions of dollars in to the IRAQ economy they will be our friends. But stop the money and we are back to what was there before, mini wars and feuds and the destruction of what we have rebuilt. And they still won't like us. The islamic religion and democracy do not mix and like any nation as long as we americans are willing to part with our money they will gladly accept it. The terrorist haven't been defeated, they have just relocated to renew their fanatical religious war. Even our money going to IRAQ may be ending up in the hands of these zealouts. And our armies will just follow them to the new countries like Pakistan and Afganistan as we chase them around the world. They may even already have camps established in Mexico where it is very easy to infiltrate in to the U.S.. Religion is more powerful than any government, even our own.

Seriously? To all you lames who support this madness, get real!!!!

Dear Proud of America, so am I. So many have made a popular statement that if you don't support the effort in Iraq then you are not patriotic. Nothing could be further from the truth. I'm tired of those who say you have to support this war or you're not patriotic. Being patriotic doesn't mean you don't raise your voice if you don't agree with what is taking place. Disagreeing with such a foolish war doesn't mean you don't support or appreciate the troops either. Remember our founding fathers voices were ones of disagreement in their days. As for helping other nations, if that is the point you want to make, what are we doing for the people of North Korea, or the famine ravished in Africa? Winning a war that was based on so many foolish assumptions isn't a victory. The loss of life, cost of treasure and diminished world standing will never be a victory. We still do not know what will happen when we leave...the bad guys just might be biding their time.

Were the writers bumping up against a deadline? This story is overly simplistic, much like 'mission accomplished.' Even General Petreus said that this war cannot be won militarily. Everyone is happy there is more peace and stability there. But the writers and those who have posted comments assume we are now in a mopping up stage. This thing will continue to face a messy resolution, untold billions have yet to be spent, more lives will be lost, the real enemy is massing elsewhere, and there is still no real evidence that Iraq can govern itself. We can speculate all we want but they have not demonstrated an independent ability to go it alone. I want to be positive also, and love my country, but get real, this thing is far from over.

The begining of a perilous peace and bloggers are exulting that the war is over? My question is 'when are the profits from this oil rich country going to be used to rebuild their own country so that our tax dollars can go towards fixing American infrastructure?

'stood by and believed in the actions our president has taken!?!?!'

Let's see. He blew past diplomacy, got the nation into an immediate frenzy about WMD, blew off the United Nations, alienated our allies, failed to certify the accuracy of intelligence, agreed to let the Iraqi army stand down, failed to accurately determine the cost/length of war, spent untold billions that could have been used fighting the real enemies of our nation, violated the rights of citizens of this nation, failed to see the seriousness of the Katrina debacle, showed no leadership on global warming, can't seem to help the economy. This is something to be proud of? I can hardly wait for the next election!

It's disingenuous of the left to snark about "Mission Accomplished."
When Bush went over and pronounced that it was to proclaim the end of major hostilities and toppling Saddam's government. To that end it WAS "Mission Accomplished."