The Story You're Still Not Seeing

A couple of factoids from Congressman Boehner:

* Approximately 80,000 Iraqi children are attending better schools in Iraq’s nine southern provinces because of Coalition reconstruction efforts.

* Internet subscribers have risen from 5,000 before the war to 196,000 in September.

* There were no commercial TV stations in Iraq before the war. Today there are 44.

* There were no independent newspapers or magazines in Iraq before the war. Today there are more than 100.

* There were no commercial radio stations in Iraq before the war. Today there are 72.

* Iraqi judges have conducted 544 trials since October 2003.

* In Ramadi, fliers have appeared that threaten and denounce the tactics of Islamic extremists. Some threaten to inform police of extremists’ identity and whereabouts.

* More than 20 Operating Bases have been returned to the Iraqi Government.

* Iraqis are expressing their freedom by providing information on terrorists. The number of tips has risen from 442 in February to 3,341 in August.

* Driven by the purchase of TVs, appliances, fans, and air conditioners, electricity demand has risen as much as 60% since the war.

* As of October 31, 2005, a total of 210,400 Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) have been trained and equipped. This number includes 99,600 Ministry of Defense forces and 110,800 Ministry of Interior Forces including police and highway patrol.

* 36 Army battalions and three combat support battalions are leading the fight in their areas, a 71% increase since March.

* A total of 2,939 new police officers graduated from basic police training courses throughout Iraq and Jordan on October 27. To date, more than 50,800 Iraqi police have completed the basic training course.

His dispatch from last week also includes this tidbit: "As of this past September, there are now 3,404 public schools, 304 water and sewage projects, 257 fire and police stations, 149 health facilities. There have been a total of 4,114 reconstruction projects completed with 921 still ongoing."

But, according to the Cut and Run Party, this is a total quagmire and we should withdraw our troops immediately and tuck our tail between our legs. I think they decided to withdraw the demand that America stick its head in the sand and pretend that the world is "all good."