Is Iraq Fit for Democracy?

After all the setbacks, are things finally starting to turn the corner in Iraq? There are signs the current U.S. troop surge has made a positive difference on the ground. But success in Iraq may ultimately depend on political--not military--progress. Anbar province used to be a notorious al-Qaeda stronghold. Not anymore. As CBN News first reported in April, violence there has dropped in a major way. One reason is that local tribal leaders are working with U.S. forces to root out terrorists. The U.S. ambassador to Iraq toured the province recently without a flak jacket or helmet. This would have been unheard of just a few months ago. "This is not your big brother's Ramad," said Ryan Crocker, U.S. ambassador to Iraq. "The change here has been absolutely unique." Gradual success in Anbar and other Iraqi provinces has raised hopes that General David Petraeus's strategy is working. Petraeus will update Congress on progress next month. He's expected to say more work is ahead and that U.S. troops need to stay in Iraq at least through 2008. His plan received an unexpected boost recently in The New York Times. Michael O' Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack of the Liberal Brookings Institutions wrote about their visit to Iraq. They wrote, "We are finally getting somewhere in Iraq, at least in military terms. As two analysts who have harshly criticized the Bush administration's miserable handling of Iraq, we were surprised by the gains we saw and the potential to produce not necessarily 'victory' but a sustainable stability that both we and the Iraqis could live with." With polls showing the war is still unpopular among the American public, it's a message President Bush wants heard. Bush said, "There's a lot of work to be done, and the fundamental question facing America is, is it worth it? Does it matter whether or not we stay long enough for an ally in this war against radicals and extremists to emerge? And my answer is, it does matter." Leading Democrats in Congress continue to be skeptical of chances for success in Iraq. They point to the Iraqi government's strong ties to Iran and failure to promote reconciliation between Shias, Sunnis, and Kurds. As military gains continue, the Bush administration may have to decide whether the current Iraqi government is fit to lead Iraq into a new, democratic era.