California Conservative

(H/T: Captain Ed)

This USA Today article is proof that miracles happen. When Keith Ellison starts talking about what a great job the US military is doing in Iraq, you know that divine intervention played a part in the transformation. Here’s what I’m talking about:

Ellison said that local leaders in Ramadi told him of how they partnered with U.S. and Iraqi military officials to virtually rid al-Qaeda from the city. Although the lawmakers had to travel in flak vests and helmets, “we did see people walking around the streets of Ramadi, going back and forth to the market.”

There have been fewer anti-U.S. sermons as the violence has been reduced, Ellison said, and religious leaders meet regularly with U.S. military officials.

“The success in Ramadi is not just because of bombs and bullets, but because the U.S. and Iraqi military and the Iraqi police are partnering with the tribal leadership and the religious leadership,” he said. “So they’re not trying to just bomb people into submission. What they’re doing is respecting the people, giving the people some control over their own lives.”

Ellison said he was particularly impressed watching Maj. Gen. Walter Gaskin, U.S. commander in the Anbar province, greeting people with “as-salama aleikum,” meaning peace be upon you.

Obviously, Keith Ellison isn’t a big fan of the Bush administration. If he’s now saying that we’re making progress, that anti-American fervor in the mosques is dropping, that he was able to walk the peaceful streets of Ramadi, that’s proof that something dramatic has happened.

Coming a day after the NY Times published an op-ed by Michael O’Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack stating that progress is being made, this is a big blow against the credibility of the Democrats’ anti-war crowd. Isn’t it time for these anti-war crowds to admit that it’s worth giving Gen. Petraeus’ plan enough time to work?

It’s getting to be almost impossible for them to argue against giving him the time. Thank God for divine intervention.

Technorati Tags: Michael O’Hanlon, Kenneth Pollack, Keith Ellison, NY Times, USA Today, David Petraeus, The Surge

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog