The surge cuts civilian deaths in Iraq in half

The military success of the surge in Iraq continues to astound. In October the number of civilian deaths was less than half of what it was in January, when the violence was as its peak. The last month also saw the smallest number of US military fatalities in the country since March 2006.

This is obviously not to say that everything is suddenly rosy in Iraq. 2 million people have fled the country and another two and a half million are internally displaced and political reconciliation on the national level remains frustratingly slow. What the progress does show, however, is that the troop build-up has created a climate in which it is realistic to expect that the Iraqis can come to an agreement that satisfies the basic needs of all three communities. To leave now or to draw down troops would squander this opportunity.