General David Petraeus, commander of United States forces in Iraq, has once again trumpeted the success of the troop "surge" in Iraq, saying violence is declining to almost "normal" levels. Factors other than the "surge", such as Iran's change of tactics, have helped stabilize Iraq. And blind belief in it sets a bad example for when the US decides to turn its full attention to the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. - Brian M Downing (Jul 30, '08)