Iraqi Islamic Party says, "Al Qaeda of Iraq is Defeated" reports Michael Yon in Baghdad.

Recent events indicate that Al Qaeda of Iraq is on the ropes, if they are not already knocked out. From local sheiks and tribal leaders declaring victory, provinces being handed over to Iraqi control by U.S. and Coalition forces, to Bin Laden's mea culpa in his latest video asking for forgiveness of his transgressions against Iraqi's, to news of much lower U.S. and civilian casualties in Iraq; it appears that Hillary may have to re-think her decision not to "willingly suspend her disbelief" at what Petraeus reported to her just 2 months ago. She may just have to take the N.Y. Times, Washington Post, BBC and other liberal outlets word for it, instead of the word of the highly decorated expert military man who has lived, breathed, and experienced Iraq first-hand for several years.

A very interesting article written by Michael Yon in Iraq points out the good news. Amazing isn't it how you just don't see or hear these news stories in our mainstream media? Also amazing is how all you hear from the defeatist liberal politicians is that 'Iraq is in a full-fledged civil war..... our troops are caught in the middle of it...... they are wantonly killing innocent civilians.......the Iraqi Government is ready to collapse.......there is no political reconciliation...the Shiites and Sunni's are at each other's throats......you General "Betrayus" and US Ambassador of Iraq Crocker- are lying no matter what you say, see, or think is happening there is just not; we can see it on CNN '..... and on and on it goes in the parallel universe that the loony left and Democrats live in, a universe devoid of facts, reality, and truth. It is truly a universe of dogmatic fantasy in their effort to create failures in the face of success, defeat in place of victory, solely to further their political fortunes of gaining the White house and getting that evil George W. Bush and the anti-Christ Cheney.

It's as though Democrats by saying what they want to see happen in Iraq; a Bush and US defeat- that it will become so. They must think it's just a matter of consistently hoping and repeating the same trite drivel over and over again, in the Main Stream Media, on the floor of the Senate and House, and on the Democratic Presidential campaign trail to just make it so.

Michael Yon reported several years ago about a General in Mosul having great success in using counter-insurgency techniques to bring the local officials and leaders together to combat and defeat the terrorists. That General was David Petraeus. As early as March 2007, Michael Yon noted the incredible success of U.S. and British Forces in turning the tide with the "Surge". While the media frenzy overdosed on the Virginia Tech shooting tragedy, the anti-war left breathed a sigh of relief when the media completely failed to notice Coalition Forces led by British military command in Southern Iraq handed the first Province over to Iraqi government and security force authority.

Last week Karbala a major city and province in a once hot-bed area of opposition activity was handed over to Iraqi authority and control by U.S. and Coalition forces becoming the 8th of 18 provinces where U.S. and Coalition forces have transferred governance to the Iraqi government and forces. You probably missed that too, the mainstream media just wasn't paying attention.... again. Michael Yon is reporting that the situation is improving so dramatically and violence in Iraq is declining so rapidly as the tide has "Surged" against the Al Qaeda terrorists who are running for their lives. Michael predicted that he would be probably leaving a secure and stable Iraq for Afghanistan shortly into the New Year.

Political reconciliation is occurring. Ambassador Crocker and Petraeus explained to close-minded lawmakers in D.C. during their September briefings how it was working. It was building at the local level and going up from there. Iraq has always been about tribes, and sheiks. Saddam even allowed them their authority to a point. They are getting things done on a local level, Sunni's and Shiites, together. From killing Al Qaeda to forming local police units that they can have confidence in, to restoring power and utilities, it's happening now. They are setting the example and initiating the model for the regional and national authorities to emulate. They are taking up the fight with better trained and more capable police and Army units. Our casualties are dropping dramatically, and so are Iraqi civilian casualties, both are dropping as Al Qaeda's losses are mounting to unsustainable levels.

You know it's getting bad for Osama Bin Laden when he asks forgiveness for past transgressions for the heavy-handed and wanton attacks on Iraqi civilians in their effort to foment civil war. Bin Laden actually begged Iraqi's to give him and Al Qaeda a second chance, forgive them and stop the offensive against his forces in Iraq.


You also have to believe we are definitely on the path to victory when Osama Bin Laden and his Islamofacist followers are calling for the destruction of Al-Jazeera the pre-eminent source of news for the Arab world because they published his own words with commentary that was not flattering. Upon it's airing of the plea by Bin Laden to forgive the mistakes and carnage by Al Qaeda and his appeal to the people of Iraq for Unity against the "Crusaders" the Iraqi people responded by hoisting a big middle finger at Osama.

I close with the question I have asked previously of the anti-war left and the Democrat defeatists. I never had a doubt we would win and now I can't wait for them to answer the question.

What will they do when we win?

Michael R. Bednarz