TROOP SURGE WORKING
Back in March, freshman U.S. Congressman Tim Walberg R-Michigan said the troops returning from Iraq he had talked with "indicate to me that 80 to 85 percent, in a conservative fashion, of the country is reasonably under control, at least as well as Detroit or Chicago or any of our other big cities. That's an encouraging sign." Walberg’s statement created a firestorm of criticism, particularly from those in the Michigan delegation. Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick, D-Michigan said, “I am outraged that a Congressman representing the state of Michigan, whose economic strength is directly related to the success of its largest city, would make such ignorant, absurd comments about Detroit.”

But while Walberg’s remarks may have been insensitive, they weren’t inaccurate. According to Manny Goldstein of Blue Works Better, the violent death rate in Iraq is around 40 per 100,000 population. The violent death rate in Detroit is 42.6 per 1000,000 population, so while Walberg may have stuck his foot in his mouth, the reality is we live in a violent world.

4th District Congressman Tom Cole, R- OK just returned from his seventh trip to Iraq. It’s been a year since Congressman Cole was in Iraq. This CODEL included four Congressmen and their objectives were to tour and view three areas. The areas the lawmakers were interested in were logistics, medical facilities and the effect of the troop surge.

The CODEL’s first stop was Kuwait where 40-60 flights per day of large freight bearing aircraft provide the supplies troops need to do their job. The amount of air traffic has transferred this desert base into the largest American airfield in the world. Tom Cole’s father was a retired Air Force master sergeant who was involved in logistics during his tenure in the military. “My dad would have loved this trip,” Cole said, “He loved moving equipment and men from one area to another and on this trip we saw just how efficient the U.S. military is at doing that.” The base is not just for supply; it also serves as a training facility for those entering Iraq.

“Kuwait is the last training stop for troops before they go into Iraq,” Cole said. “The focus of the troops on training is more intense, because they realize that in just a matter of days, it will be the real thing.”

Soldiers are about 50 miles from the war, and they are taking their last formal training course before they cross the berm into Iraq. What they are learning there is not theoretical. It probably will save some of their lives someday, and "someday" could be 48 hours away. This is the convoy live-fire exercise; the capstone event of a two-and-a-half day crash course that incorporates a lot of lessons learned from the past years combat experiences.

The next stop for the CODEL was a military hospital facility. “When the wounded are taken off the helicopter, they are moved through this tunnel- a breeze way that is 35-40’ long with a huge American flag covering the frame just before they enter the hospital,” Cole said. “The wounded soldiers see the large American flag and know they are safe and are going to be O.K.” “They call it Hero’s Way,” Cole said. The morale of the troops in the hospitals was inspiring to Cole and the delegation. “They have such a commitment to stopping the violence and to helping the Iraqi people,” Cole said. “If the average American could see the dedication of our military, they would be impressed.”

The CODEL visited Ramadi, a city that was once the site of more violence than any city in the country. “The area where we traveled in Ramadi was not secure just two months ago,” Cole said. Ramadi’s average of 250-300 executions per month has dropped to 20 per month. According to American ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker the violence in Iraq is down dramatically, which indicates the troop surge is working. The casualty rate in Iraq was down in September to the lowest level in thirteen months. Transfer of power from coalition forces to Iraqi security teams is now complete in seven of the eighteen providences.

The challenge is getting the various ethic groups in Iraq to work together to maintain a stable Iraq. Cole says, “An Iraqi city councilman pointed at an American soldier and told me that was what was needed in Iraq.” “I misunderstood him and thought he was talking about a strong military, but he was talking about the diversity in the U.S. Military.” “ We have all races and both genders working together for a common cause.” “I think he has the right answer,” Cole concluded.

The world will never be non-violent, no matter how much Democrats want to believe it can be if everyone just wishes upon a star. But the troop surge has reduced the violent death rate in Iraq to less than several major American cities, including Detroit. It’s now up to the Iraq people to govern themselves with civility and inclusiveness in a country where the political norm has been winner take all.