5 Things to Expect From the Petraeus Report

Our man in Iraq, General David Petraeus will provide to Congress his eagerly awaited Progress Report next week ( Wednesday the 12th was the date I heard). Below are 5 key points the general will likely make, taken from a recent interview he made to the Australian, and via this article at the Tank:

1). Al-Qaeda is "public enemy No 1 because it is the enemy that carries out the most horrific attacks designed to re-ignite ethno-sectarian violence".

2). Religious and ethnic killings in Baghdad were reduced by 75 percent between December 2006 and August 2007, and since January there was "a doubling in the seizure of insurgents' weapons caches" and a rise in al-Qaeda kills and captures.

3). Al-Qaeda has lost influence with local Sunnis due to the killing or capture of its fighters.

4). Fatalities from Improvised Explosive Devices (IED's) are at its lowest in a year, though still the largest cause of death in Iraq.

5). The troop surge should continue for a few months before the troop level is phased back down, "[b]ut the objective was to hold all the gains that had been made so far."

I realize some refuse to hear any good news from Iraq, including those who voted unanimously last year to send Petraeus to fight the war. But unless we want repeats of the anniversary we'll be recalling this Tuesday, we better pray he's right.