In his most recent disptach, Michael Yon speculates that the war in Iraq may be winding down:
Al-Qaeda continues to be hammered into the dirt. The Iraqi Army has demonstrated great competence and are at the forefront of destroying al-Qaeda.
Violence in Iraq is reaching an all time low, perhaps lower than at anytime in several decades. Iraq and its people have been ravaged by decades of war. Finally they are getting their chance at freedom thanks to the sacrifice of the men and women who have set them free from tyrants. With any luck, on my next trip to Iraq I will see little to no combat.According to Reuters, U.S. troop deaths in Iraq have fallen to their lowest level since the 2003 invasion. That's the lowest – ever. Improved security has also helped boost oil production to a post-war high.
The Washington Post has a lovely photo essay of Basra's 3 million residents "resuming lives that had been interrupted by an austere interpretation of Islam" after the Iraqi government and military have rooted out religious militias. Beautiful pictures of beautiful, real people.
Al Qaeda web sites are abuzz about "why we lost in Iraq". According to their own postings, their collapse in Iraq was steep and catastrophic. Today, al Qaeda has been shattered, with most of its leadership and foot soldiers dead, captured or moved out of Iraq.
And, finally, the Weekly Standard reports even more far-reaching good news in the war on terror: "The number of Islamist attacks worldwide has declined precipitously since 2004. What once seemed a war between jihadists and the West is now a war between jihadists and Muslims who reject terrorism. Bin Laden is close to losing this fight on his central front."
