Pirate's Cove

Two stories that will surely not make the MSM. Both from Defense Link

First, a decrease in violence

Violence in Baghdad has decreased over the past five weeks, and the Iraqi government is committed to reconciliation, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Iraq's Deputy President Adil al-Mahdi said here today.

Following a meeting at the Pentagon, Rumsfeld and al-Mahdi spoke about progress in Iraq with reporters. The secretary praised the work of Iraqi security forces, which he said now number more than 267,000. He said there has been a reduction in the levels of violence and in the numbers of attacks, particularly in areas U.S. and Iraqi forces have been able to clear.

You mean it really is a quagmire, ie, a difficult situation, now, something which, with hard work, can be overcome, and is being overcome? Why didn't I see this on CNN?

Second, insurgent activity has been forcibly decreased in Baghdad

Iraqi and U.S. troops have used an “isolate, clear and hold” strategy during Operation Together Forward to dampen insurgent activity in some troubled Baghdad neighborhoods, a senior operational officer said in the Iraqi capital today.

The operation “is part of a larger effort across Baghdad to significantly reduce the amount of violence that was hindering progress in our area of operations,” said Army Col. Robert E. Scurlock Jr., commander of the 1st Armored Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team. He spoke to Pentagon reporters via a satellite connection from Camp Liberty, Iraq. The 2nd Brigade’s area of responsibility is in western Baghdad.

Scurlock said his soldiers and Iraqi troops of the 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, began a sweep of Baghdad’s Amiriyah neighborhood Aug. 13. This operation, he said, was conducted in concert with other anti-insurgent operations launched across Baghdad.

I didn't read about this at the New York Times. I wonder why. I guess because there was no wounding and killing of American soldiers, the Times had no interest.

Linked to (as I run across them) The Bullwinkle Blog, Basil's Blog, Blue Star Chronicles, Samantha Burns (lots of B's today)