An Iraq Update

OpinionJournal and Arthur Chrenkoff again team up to relate the all-too underreported good news from Iraq:

Taking the Field


Every day, the ultimate course of our struggle with jihadist terror is being decided in Iraq (and Afghanistan). The work of helping Iraq become a democratic, pluralist, forward-looking country has been, and will continue to be, difficult and costly. The price in dollars is vastly exceeded by the sacrifice of over 900 brave Americans. Still, as Chrenkoff shows, progress is being made. If we succeed, Iraq will become a model for the entire Arab world, and provide a stark alternative to the totalitarian vision offered by our enemies, both secular and Islamist.

The stakes in Iraq are enormous, which is why the forces of xenophobia and fanaticism in the Arab world are so determined to see us fail. America's fate is tied inextricably to the struggle for Iraq and the Middle East: If the al-Douris and bin Ladens, Sadrs and Zarqawis succeed in defeating us and imposing their vision, future 9/11s and a horrific war of civilizations are all but inevitable. If we persevere and help the Iraqi people build the kind of country they are capable of, a country that will inspire others in the region, the Islamists and secular Arab fascists will be doomed to the ashheap of history. This is why staying the course in Iraq, and keeping a sense of perspective, is so vital.