October is on course to record the second consecutive decline in U.S. military and Iraqi civilian deaths and Americans commanders say they know why: the U.S. troop increase and an Iraqi groundswell against al-Qaida and Shiite militia extremists.

While U.S. death figures appear to be in sharp decline, the number of Iraqi civilians and security forces show a less dramatic drop. And any significant attack — by insurgents or civilians caught in the crossfire — could quickly wipe out the downward trend.

The current pace of civilian deaths would put October at less than 900. The figure last month was 1,023 and for August, 1,956, according to figures compiled by The Associated Press.

You can count on the left wing to dismiss the positive stats and/or smear the Generals in charge. Let me put it this way, positive news out of Iraq means the left will very soon smear someone or something.

-Chris Jones

Here is an excellent article from the London Telegraph about the Iraqi insurgency turning on Al-Qaeda terrorists. The reporter spent some time in the former hotbed on the insurgency and wrote a multi-part series on what he witnessed.

I can assure you that reports like this will NOT be covered on any nightly newscast or the vast majority of newspapers, because good news is never news when it comes to Iraq.

-Chris Jones
The Hot Joints