Did troop deaths go down last month? I don't know, just asking. If so, is that a trend, for a couple of months or more, or just a blip? Again, I don't know, just asking.
Interesting to note that we are now to the "it would be best if they just wiped each other out" phase of the Iraq war defense. Hell, we could have left the country alone and just said that, however it could have been Iraq vs. Iran, or pick your country poison.
I know that's not what you meant, Wayne, but the justifications of late, the look how great Iraqi's have it now kind of spin is just kind of a hollow log. Maybe parts of the country are more stable now, compared to when the insurgents and terrarists (take your pick) were roaming freely wherever our soldiers weren't - and sometimes before they got there, sadly, for our soldiers - kaboom. Seems the different factions are realizing that if they are going to have the control they want of the country they'd better start fighting the non-Americans and start cutting down the "opposition" numbers for the really big fights to come - when many of the "good guys" pull out.
I'm not sure I would rate Iraq a more stable country overall now than when Saddam was cranky and in control. Life for many has to be better, but life for many is, well, no longer, and for many is not better, other than being able to vote, I guess. Just better hope your voting in the right place come the next election - one that won't be riddled with gunfire or targeted by a dumb-bomb.
I just don't think that in my generation that I'll see "democracy" installed in many of these places, no matter how good it would be for them. And, I doubt in my lifetime that I will ever see that the effort of time, money and lives in Iraq will have been worth it for the people of the U.S., compared to what else we could have been spending our time, soldiers and money on. You know, like working in disaster-riddled Katrina areas, looking for real terrorists, finding Bin Laden, preparing for future disasters and terror strikes, paying down - and/or avoiding altogether - massive debt, and finding areas of our own country and economy to try to improve. Maybe immigration issues. Oil/gas concerns. Pick your own personal pork barrel, I don't care. I just don't - and don't think I ever will - get it.