The Bush administration will soon deliver its September assessment on progress in Iraq. It’s clear that in addition to reviewing the challenges to reconciliation at the national level, officials will consider ‘bottom-up’ progress. NBC’s First Read carries a report on progress in Ramadi:
Since then, the PRT’s have worked to help the local officials build their government and to bring back essential services to the people there. Suttee noted that there have been 102 days without attacks (though that is not consecutive days). The military is finding weapons caches at a greater rate, he said, and PRT officials are able to travel in two-vehicle convoys down from four vehicles several months ago. State Department official Kristin Hagerstrom reported that she is now able to walk on the streets and, for example, “you can buy an ice cream cone.”
You can view Ms. Hagestrom’s briefing, or read it here:
It’s hard to measure progress based on the ability to buy ice cream without fear of attack, but it is worthwhile to consider the progress made by the PRTs in many parts of Iraq. The State Department recently released a summary of PRT progress by province.
