The Iraqi War is Over. The Insurgency is Dead. Democracy is Thriving.

Tribal leaders from Anbar Province met with Prime Minister Maliki on Wednesday (27 Sep 06) to come to an agreement of how best to fight Al Qaeda in Iraq and other insurgent forces. These tribal leaders represent 25 of 31 Anbar tribes who recently agreed to join the government on breaking the insurgency in Iraq as reported earlier in this blog. The tribal leaders vowed to join the Iraqi Army and Police force. The government, in turn, vowed to send in Iraqi troops to support tribal leaders in Anbar Province according to sheik Sattar al-Buzayi, who has emerged as the leader of the recent tribal alliance.

This agreement is truly revolutionary and supplements the fact that recently several hundred tribal leaders agreed to support Maliki's reconciliation plan. An insurgency can only exist if it has an unassailable base and tacit support from the populace. The insurgency has completely lost both of these fundamentals with this agreement. The Anbar Province has always been home to the insurgency. This is now taken away from the insurgents as has tacit support from the populace.

This agreement comes on the heels of the fact that the emir of the Anbar Province and his aide have recently been killed. An emir is similar to a Division Commander, so this killing is significant. This killing also represents the 6th High Value Target (HVT) TF 145 has killed or captured in Iraq in Sep 06 alone. In the past, Anbar tribal leaders who spoke out against the insurgency have been killed. The tables are now turning.

Now would be precisely the wrong time to pull out of Iraq - to cut and run. The tables have turned. Iraqis, tribal leaders, and the government are all turning against the insurgency. Yes, violence is up despite Operation Together Forward in Baghdad, but it was also up in April 1945 just before V-E Day.

Let us not forget this lesson.

The beacon of light of democracy called Iraq has just suddenly turned very bright. Most Iraqi's want the US to leave Iraq according to recent polls. Iraqis, however, are now banding together against the insurgency to fight the insurgency. Peace in Iraq has always been up to Iraqis. It is the same reason we do not have car bombers in America. Our citizens will not allow it.

The strength of the Iraqi Army and Police Forces are increasing. The government is strengthing. More and more provinces are being turned over to Iraqis. Maliki is now in charge of his Army. Maliki has (not the US) a plan to unite Iraqis and stop the violence. Iraqis are unifying behind his plan. The US will maintain its presence to help Maliki realize his plan. Maliki is ensuring his plan succeeds for the peace of all Iraqis.

Peace and democracy in Iraq will take the wind out of the Jihadists. It will cut their recruitment efforts. It will lead to peace in the Middle East.

This bold initiative called the Bush Doctrine to establish a democracy in the Middle East appears to be working. As the insurgency declines, Iraqi wealth will grow. Immigration to Iraq will increase and it will be the beacon of democracy in the Middle East for all other neighbors to follow.

Violence in the Middle East has persisted for almost 60 years. The boldness of the Bush Doctrine appears to be bringing this violence to an end in just five short years.

Mark today as significant and revolutionary. It marks the death of the insurgency. It marks the beginning of a free, vibrant, strong democracy in the center of the Middle East. It marks the end of violence in the Middle East. It marks the end of the Iranian Theocracy. It marks an end to monarchy in this part of the world.

Yes, car bombs and suicide bombs will be in Iraq for the next decade as different insurgents try to regain control and power. But now that the people of Iraq, hundreds of tribal leaders, and the government have agreed to work and fight against the insurgency, they will have a common bond that will transcend Sunni, Shi'ite, and Kurdish differences.

If democracy can happen in Iraq with these diverse groups, it can happen anywhere. This fact is what the insurgents and Al Qaeda fear the most. It is what Iran fears most. To a certain extent, the US friendly monarchies in the Middle East also fear it, but realize it is in their future.

For the success of the Bush Doctrine, thank you Mr. President. While not yet, most of the Middle East will thank you in do time as they come to realize what freedom and democracy can bring to their people given the oil wealth they have squandered aways.

Iraq is the central battle ground in the war against terror. The War in Iraq is being won be freedom lovers. Iraqis has now turned around and are welcoming democracy and fighting against the insurgency. Revolutions will happen in the rest of the Middle East in the near future as citizens of other countries see first hand what democracy brings to them. Quite possibly, it will happen first in Iran, another country with a Shi'ite majority, as these people see the beacon of democracy which is Iraq continue to shine brighter every day.