American Troops Are Coming Home From Iraq by Gregory Hilton

After a year in Iraq the 250 soldiers of the 146th Signal Battalion came home to Jacksonville, Florida today. They suffered no casualties. They faithfully answered our nation’s call and the U.S. mission to foster a free and secure Iraq is almost complete. Our troops pulled back from all of the Iraqi cities and towns in June.
The tremendous change was demonstrated this week when Prime Minister Malaki announced his unity slate for the January 16th elections. It includes Sunnis, who turned on al-Qaeda, Kurds, tribal leaders, religious minorities and, of course, the dominant Shi’ite’s. The campaign will be difficult and the opposition National Alliance could win. That is what democracy is all about.
There is still violence and basic services have not been restored everywhere, but Iraq is now safer, more orderly and farther along the path to liberty than ever before. For six years American soldiers stood between the elements of a fledgling free market democracy and the forces of destruction. Now the Iraq Army is standing up and the baton is being passed. We are witnessing the dawn of a new Middle East and we should be proud and eternally grateful for the sacrifice of our armed forces.