Success in Tal Afar

DefenseLINK:

The efforts of the U.S. military and Iraqi security forces in Tal Afar, Iraq, have transformed the region from an insurgent hotbed to an area of life and hope with restored security, a U.S. military commander in the area said today.

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Sectarian violence is ending in Tal Afar, McMaster said. Before the operation, Turkmen Sunnis, who comprise 75 percent of the population, were not able to join the police force because of threats to their families. Now, all citizens work together on a police force that has grown from 150 to 1,765, and the people want to reconcile their differences, he said.

"We began to see the Iraqis taking more and more ownership of this reconciliation process, meeting on their own, for example," he said.

U.S. and Iraqi forces are also restoring basic services to Tal Afar, McMaster said. Before the operation, about 60 percent of the people had electricity and 40 percent had water. Now, virtually all the people have both services, he said.

Statistics can prove success to a certain point, McMaster said, but the most convincing proof is what is only visible to troops on the ground.

"The most tangible thing we can see is the people are happy," he said. "Hope is rekindled; children rush to our soldiers; people spontaneously express their gratitude to us and the Iraqi army. There are bonds of trust, mutual respect and common purpose forming between the Iraqi army and the people."

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The insurgents' brutality also contributed to U.S. and Iraqi success, because it isolated insurgents from the people and revealed their true intentions of making the city fail, McMaster said.

The operation couldn't have been successful without the discipline, dedication, compassion and endurance of the U.S. soldiers, he said. "Our soldiers ought to be exhausted now, but they're not," he said. "It seems like we're gaining energy every day because we see the difference we are making in real people's lives."

Attacks in Tal Afar have decreased significantly, McMaster said, and the insurgents are no longer organized and can't move freely. Citizens are providing tips to the Iraqi army, many times right after incidents occur, he said. In one dramatic case, a tip came in immediately after a mortar attack and the Iraqi police responded and captured the individuals responsible right away.

Iraqi people in the area are tired of the insurgents' violence and are committed to making positive changes, with many of them volunteering for the police force despite threats, McMaster said.

"I guess what people don't get to see is ... how resolute and how determined these courageous Iraqis are," he said. "There are so many good people in this country who deserve security and who are doing everything they can to build a future for their families, their towns and their country."

Why isn't this story in the Washington Post and NY Times. This is the real story of the US operations in Iraq and most of the mainstream media is missing it.