A sitrep from Iraq

David Frum has an article at the American Enterprise Institute website wherein he describes his impressions of things in Iraq that he noted during a short trip there. He also spoke of the need to finish the job:

Here's something you don't have to come to Iraq to appreciate: If an elected government can stabilize itself here--if an Iraqi army, overwhelmingly Muslim, can fight and defeat jihadist extremists--the victory will deliver a crushing blow to extremists everywhere. It's significant, I think, that Iraqis have not mounted large demonstrations against the Danish cartoons. As a matter of fact, at a dinner served by an Iraqi-owned catering company, every plate came equipped with three pats of butter prominently labelled, "Product of Denmark."

If, on the other hand, Iraq were to fail--if the insurgents pushed Iraq into chaos--the whole world would pay. I asked yet another U.S. officer: Why not just quit and withdraw? He answered, "These [jihadis] would follow us home."

Recommended.

[Hat tip to the Anchoress.]