"Glass 92% Empty, Glass 8% Full"...Freedom marches into "retain phase," Iraqis control 8% of Baghdad

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Iraqi forces have taken the lead for security in only about eight percent of Baghdad's neighborhoods more than eight months after the start of the US troop surge, a senior US commander said Friday.

Major General Joseph Fil said violence has declined sharply in the city and more than half of its 474 neighborhoods, or "mahalas," are under the joint control of US and Iraqi forces, up from about 19 percent in June.

But the percentage of neighborhoods that have moved to what the military terms the "retain" phase of the security operation, in which Iraqi forces are in the lead and US troops are on standby, has remained stubbornly small.

"This is dynamic, and 8.2 percent is where we stand today," said Fil, who commands the US-led Multi-National Division in Baghdad. That compared to seven percent in June.

http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Iraqi_forces_take_lead_in_only_8_pe_09212007.html

[Buzz Clik]

1. Eight percent in eight months. Not bad. At that rate....

... we have less than eight years of occupation remaining. Excellent!