So long as you don't look at the price tag, it's not all bad news in Iraq. Violent attacks in northern Iraq have
dropped by 60 percent in the past year, and progress in the region has
left the insurgency broken, said Army Major General Mark P. Hertling, commander of Multinational Division North.
“Our assessment is that the insurgency has become fractured, certainly
still capable and lethal, and they are increasingly relying on
intimidation to garner support from local populace,” said Maj.
General Hertling yesterday.
According to Hertling, coalition
forces, working alongside improved Iraqi security forces, have killed or
captured thousands of enemy fighters in northern Iraq. The successes have severely limited the ability of the insurgents to retain control in large northern Iraqi cities like Mosul. Even more inspiring is the general's faith in the rapidly improving Iraqi security force.
“Iraq’s forces showed new signs of
independence, confidence, professionalism, and -- above all -- national
commitment,” Hertling said.
But success in Northern Iraq, much like the rest of the country, comes from the Iraqi people as much if not more than it can be attributed to military strategy. As insurgents continue to target Iraqi civilians, more Iraqis grow tired of the violence and are working to help American and Iraqi security forces combat the insurgency. This sentiment is bolstered by improved security in the area and rebuilding efforts that have stimulated the local economy and improved access to water and power.
“I think there is a feeling … that the Iraqi citizens are sick of the insurgents,” Hertling said.
But the fight is far from over. According to Hertling, the highest number of attacks in Iraq still occurs within the Northern territories and he knows more work is needed to build schools and hospitals, continue lowering the employment rate, which reaches 50 percent in some areas, and improve access to drinking water - a basic necessity may Iraqis have been without in their homes since the war began.
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