General Petreaus changed the world in 2007. He changed the dynamic of Iraq beyond recognition. The cascade of information being fed to coalition forces about the criminals and terrorists to enable them to kill them was a trickle in January 2007. It is that cascade which has so transformed Iraq that even tourists are starting to go there. And the reason the cascade came? Because of the FOB's and the COP's and joint foot patrols instituted by Petraeus.
Fallujah, once the dark heart of the Sunni insurgency has not had a single attack in four months. Many US units are now asking to be transferred to Afghanistan because they don't hear or fire a shot during a whole tour. Journalists, up until recently prisoners of the Green Zone, now go out in search of stories, and to try to find people willing to slag off the Americans, although its tougher and tougher to do. Iraqis have discovered patriotism, community spirit and goodwill, and a doughty spirit of resistance against Al Qaeda and the forces of malevolence. Their neighborhood watch schemes, or what US forces call 'force multipliers' leave the remaining groups of murderous scum very little room to maneuver.
All of these synergies were whispily apparent (if you were willing to ignore the torrent of misinformation and noise from the MSM) in January 2007, but it has become apparent to everyone now that Iraq was not lost, was never lost, but was in an excruciating holding pattern. Petraeus, to his eternal credit, broke Iraq out of that holding pattern, and Iraqis can now see the clear potential for a viable and peaceful future. Sadly, dozens of people are dying every day still, but a day will come soon when the pain will stop, and the rebuilding and the real hard work of grafting Iraq back together will start in earnest.
The effects of US victory in Iraq will be manifold. All parties are sure of that. Now, its time to see who will win the peace.
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