Things in Iraq go well.
Even though it has taken much longer than it should have.
We have been very lucky.
Sistani has been one of the keys, preaching civil government and avoiding control by the extremist Iranian religious leadership.
Head of the civilian Iraqi government, Maliki and his military have also suddenly come into their own, pushing a showdown with the Sadr and Iranian controlled militias and sparking a move towards a unified moderate political center.
Of course the courage and steadfastness of our military has tended to make its own luck. Al Qaeda has shown its true nature and is now unwelcome in Iraq just as it is unwelcome in Afghanistan.
Iran has tried the same tactics that worked for it in Lebanon and now with Hamas in Gaza. However, in Basra these Sadrists and Iranian Special Groups are being flushed out and rolled up.
This is what winning looks like.
Our military has been magnificent.
Iraqis are cleansing their country of these terrorists and thugs.
The future suddenly looks much brighter.
Things go well, we have been very “lucky”.
