US Papers Thu: New Cautious Optimism on Iraq

distrust of virtually anything the Administration says about Iraq, real military progress is taking place and the U.S. team in Baghdad is actively seeking matching political and economic progress"...."What is critical to understand, however, is that while the surge
strategy has had value in some areas, much of this progress has not the
function of the surge strategy, U.S. planning, or action by the Maliki
government."